Glucose utilization during interictal intervals in an epilepsy model induced by pilocarpine: A qualitative study

Abstract

Purpose: Interictal intervals in pilocarpine-induced chronic epilepsy are characterized by apparent normal electrographic activity and longer sleep periods or drowsiness or both. Sparse information exists concerning the neural network activity during these seizure-free intervals. in our research, all [C-14]2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) autoradiographic technique was used to investigate interictal changes in the metabolism of the epileptic rat brain.Methods: Epileptic mts were monitored by video-EEG for similar to 120 days, with [C-14]2DG injected after a seizure-free interval of greater than or equal to 24 h.Results: Autoradiographic analysis revealed an increase in glucose utilization by several brain regions; the most consistent increase was found in the lateral posterior thalamic nucleus and prerectal region.Conclusions: These findings suggest that the lateral posterior thalamic nucleus and the prerectal region may be involved in cerebral circuits inhibiting epileptic activity during interictal intervals.