Magnetic resonance imaging in the study of the lithium-pilocarpine model of temporal lobe epilepsy in adult rats

摘要: Summary:  Purpose: In temporal lobe epilepsy, it remains to be clarified whether hippocampal sclerosis is the cause or consequence of epilepsy. We studied evolution lesions in lithium–pilocarpine model epilepsy rat with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) determine progressive morphologic changes occurring before appearance chronic epilepsy. Methods: MRI was performed on an MR scanner operating at 4.7 T. followed using T2- and T1-weighted sequences after injection gadolinium from 2 h 9 weeks. Results: At status epilepticus (SE), a blood–brain barrier breakdown could observed only thalamus; had disappeared by 6 h. 24 SE, edema present amygdala piriform entorhinal cortices together extensive neuronal loss; progressively over 5-day period. During phase, cortical signal reappeared all animals; this corresponded gliosis, which appeared glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemically stained sections as hypertrophic astrocytes thickened processes. hippocampus, correlation between histopathology T2-weighted underscored constitution atrophy sclerosis, starting days SE. Conclusions: These data show reactivity cortex that characterizes initial step leading development late gliosis result spontaneous seizures. Moreover, appears worsened both epileptic activity.