Effect of acute stress stimulation on the seizure induction in epileptic model rats

This study was undertaken to observe the effect of acute stress on seizure occurrence in chronic period of epileptic model rats. Lithium-pilocarpine (LiCl-PILO)-induced epileptic rat model was constructed. At the spontaneous recurrent seizure period, acute stress stimulations such as cat’s urine and foot electrical shock were applied to observe the behavioral changes and seizure occurrence. The results showed that after the cat’s urine stimulation, the self-directed behaviors of the epileptic model rats decreased significantly, while the risk assessment behaviors increased significantly. The seizure occurrence, however, was not observed during the 45 min after the stimulation. Applying electrical foot shocks also did not evoke seizures in epileptic model rats. On the contrast, intraperitoneal injection of low dose of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ, 30mg/kg) evoked seizure more efficiently, and the duration of seizure activity was extensively prolonged in epileptic model rats than that of control rats. Taken together, these results indicate that although applying stress stimulations such as cat’s urine and electrical foot shock cause several behavioral changes, they are not severe enough to evoke seizure in epileptic model rats.