Seizure frequency in pilocarpine-treated rats is independent of circadian rhythm.

Pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) results in chronic spontaneous recurrent seizures resembling human temporal lobe epilepsy. In this and other experimental models, behaviorally monitored seizure frequency was suggested to vary in a circadian fashion, and to increase with time. We re-addressed those hypotheses using continuous video-electroencephalography (EEG) telemetry in rats with SE at 30 days of age. In 11 chronically epileptic animals monitored up to 300 days after SE in a fixed 12 h light/dark cycle, we found that seizure frequency did not correlate with circadian rhythm. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.