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Standard dose valproic acid does not cause additional cognitive impact in a rodent model of intractable epilepsy

Adam P Jellett1, Kyle Jenks2, Marcella Lucas2

  • 1Department of Neurology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA; University of Bath, Biology and Biochemistry, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.

Epilepsy Research
|January 25, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Brain malformations, not seizures or valproic acid (an epilepsy drug), primarily drive cognitive impairments in epilepsy models. Current treatments may not improve cognition in these cases, necessitating novel strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Epilepsy Research
  • Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

  • Children with epilepsy often exhibit cognitive and behavioral deficits.
  • The interplay between epilepsy etiology, seizure activity, and medication effects complicates understanding these impairments.
  • Investigating these factors in humans is challenging due to high variability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the primary drivers of cognitive impairment in a rodent model of cortical dysplasia.
  • To assess the impact of seizures and valproic acid on cognition in this model.

Main Methods:

  • A rodent model of cortical dysplasia was utilized.
  • Rats experienced early life seizures induced by flurothyl inhalation.
  • Animals were treated with valproic acid or a vehicle control before cognitive testing in the Morris water maze.

Main Results:

  • Brain malformations were identified as the main cause of cognitive impairments.
  • Persistent seizures and valproic acid treatment did not exacerbate cognitive deficits in animals with brain malformations.
  • Neither intractable seizures nor standard antiepileptic drugs worsened cognition in this specific model.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitive impairments in this model are primarily linked to the underlying brain malformation.
  • Standard antiepileptic drug treatment and persistent seizures do not worsen cognition in the presence of malformations.
  • Alternative therapeutic strategies are needed to improve cognitive outcomes in individuals with malformation-related epilepsy.

Keywords:
HippocampusMethylazoxymethanol acetatePediatric epilepsyValproic acid

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