Rats with chronic pilocarpine-induced temporal lobe epilepsy complicated with depression were studied. Anti-5-bromodeoxyuridine immunofluorescence staining and Timms staining showed that neurogenesis within the hippocampal dentate gyrus and mossy fiber sprouting were increased in model rats. Neurogenesis within the hippocampal dentate gyrus was further enhanced, while mossy fiber sprouting was decreased in model rats administered carbamazepine alone or in combination with the 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor agonist, 8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetralin (0.1 and 1 mg/kg). Among the groups, the effect was the most significant in rats receiving carbamazepine in conjunction with 1 mg/kg 8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetralin. Thus, high dose 8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetralin can improve neural plasticity in epileptic rats with depression.
Keywords: 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptors; 8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetralin; depression; epilepsy; neural plasticity.