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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins
Published on: August 15, 2017
Febrile Seizures Cause Depression and Anxiogenic Behaviors in Rats
Yeon Hee Yu1,2, Seong-Wook Kim3, Hyuna Im1,2
1Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan-si 31151, Korea.
Insights
Febrile seizures (FS) in infants may cause long-term anxiety and depression. This study found that infantile rats experiencing FS exhibited increased anxiety-like behaviors and depression phenotypes later in life.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Febrile seizures (FS) are common in infants and children.
- The link between FS and later psychiatric disorders like anxiety and depression is not well understood.
- Previous research indicates associations between epilepsy and various psychiatric conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal relationship between early-life febrile seizures and the development of anxiety and depression.
- To utilize a rat model to examine behavioral and neural changes following induced febrile seizures.
- To explore the potential long-term impact of febrile seizures on mental health.
Main Methods:
- Induced febrile seizures in infantile rats (postnatal day 11) using a mercury vapor lamp.
- Assessed anxiety and depression-like behaviors at 3 and 12 weeks post-FS induction.
- Recorded local field potentials (LFPs) in the hippocampus to analyze neural activity, specifically the theta rhythm.
Main Results:
- Rats that experienced infantile febrile seizures displayed increased anxiogenic behaviors and depression-like phenotypes as juveniles and adults.
- Analysis of LFPs revealed a significant increase in the 4-7 Hz hippocampal theta rhythm in FS rats compared to controls.
- This theta rhythm is recognized as a neural oscillatory marker associated with anxiety disorders.
Conclusions:
- Infantile febrile seizures are causally linked to the development of anxiety-related behaviors and depression-like symptoms in rodents.
- Early-life febrile seizures may alter neural circuitry, contributing to long-term psychiatric vulnerabilities.
- This study provides a preclinical basis for understanding the connection between febrile seizures and mental health outcomes.
Abstract:
Febrile seizure (FS) is a common type of seizure occurring in human during infancy and childhood. Although an epileptic seizure is associated with psychiatric disorders and comorbid diseases such as depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, sleep disorders, attention deficits, cognitive impairment, and migraine, the causal relationship between FS and psychiatric disorders is poorly understood. The objective of the current study was to investigate the relationship of FS occurrence in childhood with the pathogenesis of anxiety disorder and depression using an FS rat model. We induced febrile seizures in infantile rats (11 days postnatal) using a mercury vapor lamp. At 3 weeks and 12 weeks after FS induction, we examined behaviors and recorded local field potentials (LFPs) to assess anxiety and depression disorder. Interestingly, after FS induction in infantile rats, anxiogenic behaviors and depression-like phenotypes were found in both adult and juvenile FS rats. The analysis of LFPs revealed that 4-7 Hz hippocampal theta rhythm, a neural oscillatory marker for anxiety disorder, was significantly increased in FS rats compared with their wild-type littermates. Taken together, our findings suggest that FS occurrence in infants is causally related to increased levels of anxiety-related behaviors and depression-like symptoms in juvenile and adult rodents.
