Rosane B Bernardi1, Helena M T Barros. 1. Division of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Physiological Sciences, Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Seizures and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the main causes for cognitive impairment in persons with epilepsy. It is still a matter of debate whether carbamazepine (CBZ) improves cognition because of its own psychotropic effects or because it is more effective to treat temporal epilepsy. Our objective was to analyze the performance of CBZ-treated or nontreated pilocarpine epileptic rats in an object-recognition test. METHODS: Twelve chronic pilocarpine-induced epileptic rats were treated with CBZ, 40 mg/kg, or saline, t.i.d. for 8 days. Twenty-one nonepileptic controls were treated with CBZ or saline. On day 8 of treatment, all rats were tested with an object-recognition paradigm. RESULTS: No locomotor impairment was detected in chronic epilepsy or CBZ treatment, as exploration during training was not affected. Exploratory behaviors during the choice session were not decreased in rats treated with CBZ; therefore CBZ does not compromise procedural memory. Epileptic rats showed a nonsignificant change in the discrimination performance, and prolonged treatment with CBZ in epileptic rats induced a significant increase in object discrimination during the choice session. CONCLUSIONS: Even though pilocarpine-induced epileptic animals do not show compromised performance in the spontaneous object-recognition test, prolonged CBZ treatment has a positive effect on a simple object-discrimination task. These results may be associated with the psychotropic effects of CBZ.
PURPOSE:Seizures and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the main causes for cognitive impairment in persons with epilepsy. It is still a matter of debate whether carbamazepine (CBZ) improves cognition because of its own psychotropic effects or because it is more effective to treat temporal epilepsy. Our objective was to analyze the performance of CBZ-treated or nontreated pilocarpineepilepticrats in an object-recognition test. METHODS: Twelve chronic pilocarpine-induced epilepticrats were treated with CBZ, 40 mg/kg, or saline, t.i.d. for 8 days. Twenty-one nonepileptic controls were treated with CBZ or saline. On day 8 of treatment, all rats were tested with an object-recognition paradigm. RESULTS: No locomotor impairment was detected in chronic epilepsy or CBZ treatment, as exploration during training was not affected. Exploratory behaviors during the choice session were not decreased in rats treated with CBZ; therefore CBZ does not compromise procedural memory. Epilepticrats showed a nonsignificant change in the discrimination performance, and prolonged treatment with CBZ in epilepticrats induced a significant increase in object discrimination during the choice session. CONCLUSIONS: Even though pilocarpine-induced epileptic animals do not show compromised performance in the spontaneous object-recognition test, prolonged CBZ treatment has a positive effect on a simple object-discrimination task. These results may be associated with the psychotropic effects of CBZ.
Authors: Melissa L Barker-Haliski; Fabiola Vanegas; Matthew J Mau; Tristan K Underwood; H Steve White Journal: Epilepsia Date: 2016-07-28 Impact factor: 5.864
Authors: Amr Ayoub; Dominic Aumann; Anne Hörschelmann; Atossa Kouchekmanesch; Pia Paul; Jan Born; Lisa Marshall Journal: Sleep Date: 2013-06-01 Impact factor: 5.849