J Korean Pediatr Soc.  2002 May;45(5):629-636.

Characteristics of Seizures and Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression of Hippocampus in Hyperthermia-Induced Seizures of Developing Rat

• Kim DK
• Jung DK

Abstract

PURPOSE: Our study was aimed to investigate the characteristics of seizures as well as to determine whether the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression(nNOS) of hippocampus has an affect in the hyperthermic seizure in developing rat.
METHODS
Hyperthermic seizures were repeatedly induced twice a week for four weeks in 20-day old Spraque-Dowley rats. Fifty two rats were used as a hyperthermic group and 30 rats used as a normothermic control group. Hyperthermic seizures were induced in a water bath at 45degreesC+/-1 for 4 min. The characteristics of seizures were recorded. Using western blot, hippocampal nNOS expression was measured in normothermic control, hyperthermic non-seizure, and hyperthermic seizure groups, respectively.
RESULTS
Eighty seven percent of hyperthermia exposed rats showed generalized tonic-clonic seizure most frequently. The duration of seizure was ranged from 12 to 145 sec(mean 55 sec) and the latency to seizure ranged from 158 to 240 sec(mean 204 sec). The duration of seizure was prolonged but there was no significant difference in the seizure latency as the rat exposed more number of hyperthermia. Interestingly, the expression level of hippocampal nNOS in hyperthermic seizure and hyperthermic non-seizure groups was not different from each other, however, the expression in these groups was lower than that of the control group.
CONCLUSION
Our results indicate that nNOS do not have an affect in this repeated hyperthermic seizures. Further studies are required to clarify a role of nNOS in hyperthermic seizure.

Keyword

Hyperthermic seizures; Neuronal nitric oxide synthase; Spraque-Dowley rat

MeSH Terms

Animals
Baths
Blotting, Western
Fever
Hippocampus*
Neurons*
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I*
Rats*
Seizures*
Water
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I
Water