The Mechanism of Anti-Epileptogenesis by Levetiracetam Treatment is Similar to the Spontaneous Recovery of Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy during Adolescence.
- Author:
Hiroki KIKUYAMA
1
;
Tadahito HANAOKA
;
Tetsufumi KANAZAWA
;
Yasushi YOSHIDA
;
Takafumi MIZUNO
;
Hirotaka TOYODA
;
Hiroshi YONEDA
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Levetiracetam; Apoptosis; Epileptogenesis; Idiopathic generalized epilepsy; Noda epileptic rat
- MeSH: Adolescent*; Adult; Animals; Apoptosis; Axons; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Cell Death; Epilepsy, Absence; Epilepsy, Generalized*; Hippocampus; Humans; Inflammation; Male; Neurogenesis; Prefrontal Cortex; Rats; RNA, Messenger; Seizures
- From:Psychiatry Investigation 2017;14(6):844-850
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The anti-epileptogenic drug levetiracetam has anticonvulsant and anti-epileptogenesis effects. Synergy between cell death and inflammation can lead to increased levels of apoptosis inhibitory factors and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, aberrant neurogenesis and extended axon sprouting. Once hyperexcitation of the neural network occurs, spontaneous seizures or epileptogenesis develops. This study investigated whether the anti-epileptogenic effect of levetiracetam is due to its alternate apoptotic activity. METHODS: Adult male Noda epileptic rats were treated with levetiracetam or vehicle control for two weeks. mRNA quantification of Bax, Bcl-2 and GAPDH expression were performed from prefrontal cortex and hippocampus tissue samples. RESULTS: The levetiracetam-treated group showed a significant increase of Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expression ratio in the prefrontal cortex than the control group, but no change in the Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expression ratio in hippocampus. CONCLUSION: Idiopathic generalized epilepsy including childhood absence epilepsy develop at childhood and recover spontaneously during adolescence. The aberrant neural excitable network is pruned by a neural-maturing action. This study suggests the mechanism of acquired anti-epileptogenesis by levetiracetam treatment may be similar to spontaneous recovery of idiopathic generalized epilepsy during adolescence.
