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Updated: Sep 1, 2026

A Behavioral Screen for Heat-Induced Seizures in Mouse Models of Epilepsy
Published on: July 12, 2021
Febrile seizures in the developing brain result in persistent modification of neuronal excitability in limbic
1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine 92697-1280, USA.
Abstract:
Febrile (fever-induced) seizures affect 3-5% of infants and young children. Despite the high incidence of febrile seizures, their contribution to the development of epilepsy later in life has remained controversial. Combining a new rat model of complex febrile seizures and patch clamp techniques, we determined that hyperthermia-induced seizures in the immature rat cause a selective presynaptic increase in inhibitory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus that lasts into adulthood. The long-lasting nature of these potent alterations in synaptic communication after febrile seizures does not support the prevalent view of the 'benign' nature of early-life febrile convulsions.
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