Post-seizures amygdaloallocortical microvascular lesion leading to atrophy and memory impairment

Neurobiol Dis. 2005 Aug;19(3):479-89. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2005.01.029.

Abstract

Although the incidence of seizures after a cerebrovascular event including intracerebral hemorrhage has been widely recognized, the present studies have demonstrated that generalized convulsive seizures can cause multifocal amygdaloallocortical hemorrhage and tissue necrosis, the origin of which remains to be established. The seizure-elicited amygdaloallocortical injured area, which we refer to as a focal injury-prone area (FIPA), was caused by cholinergic stimulation of the ventroposterolateral and thalamic reticular nuclei. The amygdaloallocortical injury was preceded by focal absence of neuronal COX-2 and presence of microvascular immunoreactivity to the pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha. The microvascular inflammation was followed by edema and multifocal amygdaloallocortical microhemorrhages, leading to atrophy and cognitive impairment. On the basis of the present results, we conclude that generalized convulsive seizures may be at the origin of amygdaloallocortical microvascular injury suggesting that, in addition to anticonvulsant treatment, an appropriate clinical evaluation and therapy for seizures-associated cerebrovascular accidents should be considered.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Atrophy / etiology*
  • Atrophy / pathology
  • Brain / blood supply*
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain Edema / etiology
  • Brain Edema / pathology
  • Carbachol / toxicity
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation / physiology
  • Convulsants / toxicity
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Interleukin-1 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / etiology*
  • Memory Disorders / pathology
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Seizures / chemically induced
  • Seizures / physiopathology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Convulsants
  • Interleukin-1
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Carbachol
  • Cyclooxygenase 2
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases