Alcohol consumption and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: experimental approach

Using the pilocarpine model of epilepsy, we investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on the frequency of seizures in animals with epilepsy as well the underlying a possible association between alcohol intake and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) occurrence. Rats were divided randomly into two groups: (A) rats with epilepsy and (B) rats with epilepsy that received a daily dose of ethanol solution (350 mg kg(-1), i.p.) for 30 days. The basal frequency of seizures observed in the A and B groups during the first 30 days were 3.4+/-1.5 and 3.2+/-1.9 seizures per week per animal, respectively. In B group, it was observed a significant seizure increase (11.6+/-5.3) during the first 2 weeks of alcohol administration and quite interesting, one rat died suddenly after a generalized tonic-clonic seizure during this period. We concluded in our experimental study that exist a possible association between alcohol abuse and SUDEP occurrence.