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Acta Physiologica 2011; Volume 203, Supplement 686
Joint Congress of FEPS and Turkish Society of Physiological Sciences
9/3/2011-9/7/2011
Istanbul, Turkey
PHENYTOIN REGULATES BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN THE OFFSPRING OF EPILEPTIC RATS BY INCREASING THE LEVEL OF BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR
Abstract number: PC143
Soysal1 Handan, Turkoz2 Yusuf, Ekinci3 Nihat, Doan3 Zümrüt, Kamisli4 Özden, Gucluer5 Nilay
1Medicine Faculty Departments of Anatomy, Adiyaman University, Adiyaman, Turkey
2Medicine Faculty Departments of Medical Biochemistry, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey
3Medicine Faculty Departments of Medical Anatomy, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey
4Medicine Faculty Departments of Neurology, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey
5Medicine Faculty Departments of Microbiology, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey
Objective:
We aimed to investigate the effects of phenytoin, frequently used antiepileptic, on brain development in offspring of pregnant rats with epilepsy.
Methods:
In this study, 127 new born rats were used to evaluate the levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Epileptic seizures were determined with EEG recordings. Each day of gestation, phenytoin (25 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally to epileptic pregnant rats. After the birth, sera from 127 offspring rats were used for measurement of serum BDNF at the postnatal days 21 and 38. Serum BDNF concentrations were measured by ELISA method.
Results:
Serum BDNF levels decreased in epilepsy group at the postnatal day 21, compared to the control, but this decrease was not statistically significant (p<0.05). Serum BDNF levels in epilepsy+phenytoin group were increased significantly at the postnatal day 21, compared to the epilepsy group (p<0.05). But, no significant changes in serum BDNF levels of epilepsy + phenytoin group at the postnatal day 38 was found (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
Epilepsy affects brain development of the fetus in pregnant rats; therefore, anti-epileptic therapy should be continued during pregnancy. We conclude that phenytoin application in epileptic pregnant rats regulates the development of fetal brain by increasing the levels of BDNF.
To cite this abstract, please use the following information:
Acta Physiologica 2011; Volume 203, Supplement 686 :PC143