Inflammation enhances epileptogenesis in the developing rat brain

In many experimental systems, proinflammatory stimuli exhibit proconvulsant properties. There are also accumulating data suggesting that inflammation may contribute to epileptogenesis in experimental models as well as in humans. Using two different models (Lithium-pilocarpine induced-status epilepticus (SE) and rapid kindling), we address this issue in the developing brain. Using P14 Wistar rat pups, we showed that inflammation induced by LPS results, after SE, into a more severe disease in adulthood. The main histological feature was an active gliosis that was observed only when inflammation and SE was combined. The use of a kindling model at P14, a model where seizure progress without any neurodegeneration, permits to show that systemic inflammation is responsible of an enhancement of epileptogenesis. The role of inflammation should be further explored in immature brain to identify therapeutic targets that may be relevant to clinical practice where the association of inflammation and epileptic events is common.