Audiogenic seizures following global ischemia induced by chest compression in Long-Evans rats

Reid, K.H.; Young, C.; Schurr, A.; Tseng, M.; Payne, R.S.; Keelen, P.; Miller, J.; Iyer, V.

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Volume 23, Issue 3 , Pages 195-209, April 1996

Audiogenic seizures following global ischemia induced by chest compression in Long-Evans rats

K.H. Reid
- Corresponding author.
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
C. Young
- Department of Neurology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
A. Schurr
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
M. Tseng
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
R.S. Payne
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
P. Keelen
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
J. Miller
- Department of Pathology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
V. Iyer
- Department of Neurology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA

Received 9 May 1995; accepted 2 November 1995.

Abstract

Transient global ischemia was used to produce a rat model of generalized tonic-clonic epilepsy. Controlled chest compression in ketamine-anesthesized Long-Evans rats produced transient global ischemia by mechanically preventing the heart from pumping blood. Circulation was restored by standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques. With a temporal muscle (skull) temperature of 35 ± 0.4°C, 75% (76/102) of the rats survived 7 min of chest compression. Generalized seizures could be evoked in 78% (59/76) of the surviving rats by a 60 s exposure to a loud sound (bell, 110 dB) beginning 24 h after the ischemic episode. The seizure patterns seen resembled those described by Maresceaux (1987) for genetically seizure-prone Wistar rats. Susceptibility to sound-induced seizures declined with time, with wide variations in recovery rate between individuals; one rat showed a daily sound-induced seizure for over 5 months. Seizures were attenuated or blocked by treatment with carbamazepine or sodium valproate. This model is similar to the great vessel occlusion model used by Kawai et al. (1995), but is less invasive. We believe it will be useful in the evaluation of therapies for acquired generalized (grand mal) seizures.

Keywords: Audiogenic seizure, Rat model, Global ischemia

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