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Related Experiment Videos

Hippocampal cell loss in posttraumatic human epilepsy.

Barbara E Swartz1, Carolyn R Houser, Uwami Tomiyasu

  • 1Hoag Hospital Memorial Presbyterian Epilepsy Center, Newport Beach 92658-6100, and California Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. BSwartz@Hoaghospital.org

Epilepsia
|August 23, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Significant head trauma can cause hippocampal cell loss in adults, leading to epilepsy. This study found that trauma-induced neuronal damage in the hippocampus, particularly the hilar region, is a consistent finding in epilepsy patients without other known risk factors.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neuropathology
  • Epileptology

Background:

  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI) models in animals show hippocampal damage.
  • The effects of significant head trauma on hippocampal cell loss in human adults are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if significant head trauma in human adults causes hippocampal cell loss, specifically in hilar (polymorph) and CA3 neurons.
  • To examine the relationship between hippocampal pathology and temporal neocortical pathology, neuronal reorganization, and other variables.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 21 temporal lobectomy specimens from patients with epilepsy where trauma was the sole risk factor.
  • Histological staining (GFAP, H&E, cresyl violet) and immunolabeling for neuronal-specific nuclear protein.
  • Evaluation of neuronal distributions and pathology in temporal neocortex and hippocampus.

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Main Results:

  • Neocortical gliosis was present in all specimens; some showed hemosiderosis or heterotopias.
  • Hippocampal neuronal loss occurred in 94% of specimens, consistently affecting the hilar region (dentate gyrus polymorph).
  • Severity of hilar cell loss correlated with involvement of CA3 and CA1 regions; mossy fiber sprouting was also observed.

Conclusions:

  • Neocortical pathology is a universal finding following head trauma.
  • Hilar region neuronal loss in the hippocampus is the most consistent neuropathological finding after head trauma.
  • Head trauma can induce hippocampal epilepsy in humans, even without other identified risk factors.