Influences of anterior thalamic nucleus stimulation on neurogenesis in hippocampus of epileptic rats / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the influences of anterior thalamic nucleus (ANT) stimulation on neurogenesis in hippocampus of epileptic rats. Methods Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly alloca-ted to normal-control group ( n＝8),control-stimulation group ( n＝8),sham-stimulation group ( n＝8) and model-stimulation group(n＝8).Eqileptic SD rat model was established by using microinjection of kainic acid in hippocampal CA3 area,and administered 48 h continuous ANT stimulation in the chronic stage.Epileptic seizures were monitored and counted.The levels of Ki-67,a neurogenesis protein in hippocampus was deter-mined by Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results The epi-lepsy seizure rate was (5.9±2.2) per week in the sham-stimulation group and (2.9±1.1) per week in model-stimulation group.Compared with sham-stimulated rats, ANT stimulation reduced seizures by 50.8%(P＜0.05).Western blot analysis revealed that the relative levels of Ki-67 in the hippocampus of model-stimula-tion group significantly higher than that of the sham-stimulation group((0.44±0.15) vs (0.19±0.73),P＜0.05).qRT-PCR analysis showed that relative levels of Ki-67 mRNA in the hippocampus of model-stimula-tion group were significantly higher than that of the sham-stimulation group((0.45±0.10) vs (0.15±0.06), P＜0.05). Conclusion Chronic ANT stimulation can promote neurogenesis in epileptic rats,which may be a principle mechanism of the beneficial effect of ANT stimulation on epilepsy.