Aquaporin-4-dependent edema clearance following status epilepticus.

We investigated the role of aquaporin-4 in the development of cerebral edema following kainic acid-induced status epilepticus (SE) using specific gravimetry and T2 MRI techniques at 6 h, 1 day, 4 days and 7 days after SE. Our results indicate significantly greater tissue edema and T2 MRI changes in AQP4(-/-) compared to AQP4(+/+) mice that peaks at about 1 day after SE (greater in hippocampus relative to cortex). These results have implications for the mechanisms of edema formation and clearance following intense seizure activity.