Epilepsy and membrane Na+K+ATPase: changes in activity using an experimental model of epilepsy

Electrographic and behavioral seizures were induced in rats by repeated electrical stimulation of the dorsal hippocampus for three consecutive days. Animals were killed in the following groups: Control group; group killed during the clonus phase of a convulsion in the third stimulating session; group killed 10 minutes after the termination of a convulsion in the third stimulating session. Membrane ATPase activity was shown to be significantly increased in the group killed during the clonic phase compared to that of the control group and was significantly reduced post-convulsively, compared to both the control group and the group killed during the convulsion. The results suggest a modification of enzyme activity which may be important in the initiation and maintenance of seizure activity.