1043-3155 Pediatr Neurol Briefs pedneurbriefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs Pediatric Neurology Briefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs 2166-6482 1043-3155 2166-3155 Pediatric Neurology Briefs Publishers Chicago, IL, USA PNB-4-19 10.15844/pedneurbriefs-4-3-4 Seizure Disorders Neurology Pediatrics Nervous System Diseases Child Development Brain Diseases Neurosurgery Child Infant Effects of Brief Seizures on Learning http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-7931 Millichap J. Gordon MD 1 2 * Division of Neurology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Correspondence: Dr. J. Gordon Millichap, E-mail: jgmillichap@northwestern.edu 03 1990 01 08 2016 4 3 19 20 Copyright: © 1990 The Author(s) 1990 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Effects of seizures on learning, memory, and behavior in the genetically epilepsy-prone rat

The effects of frequent brief seizures on learning, memory, and behavior in the young animal were studied at the Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; and Veterans Administration Medical Center and Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA.

 Brief Seizures Audiogenic Stimulations Immature Animals

The effects of frequent brief seizures on learning, memory, and behavior in the young animal were studied at the Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; and Veterans Administration Medical Center and Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA. Three groups of animals were used: Group 1 immature genetically epilepsy prone rats (GEPRs) subjected to 66 audiogenic stimulations; Group 2 GEPR littermates handled and placed in the sound chamber but not stimulated; Group 3 genetically epilepsy resistant rats (GERRs) who received audiogenic stimulations but had no seizures. Tests for learning, memory and behavior, using the T-maze, water maze, open field activity test, home cage intruder test and handling test, were investigated after three weeks of stimulations. Compared with GERRs and control GEPRs, experimental GEPRs performed less well in the T-maze and water maze tests of learning and memory. They also differed in behavior and activity level. The study demonstrated that frequent brief seizures in immature animals results in significant detrimental changes in learning, memory, activity level, and behavior. [1]

COMMENT. Some children with poorly controlled epilepsy have a progressive decline of IQ on serial intelligence tests [2] and [3]. The cause of this epileptic dementia in children is not always clearly understood. The underlying disease process may be degenerative in nature and sometimes the adverse side effects of anticonvulsant medications have been implicated. In the present paper the potential cognitive depressant effects of repeated generalized seizures are emphasized and age of onset of the seizure disorder may be a critical factor in determining whether deficits in learning and behavior occur.

 Holmes GL Thompson JL Marchi TA Gabriel PS Hogan MA Carl FG Effects of seizures on learning, memory, and behavior in the genetically epilepsy-prone rat Ann Neurol 1990 Jan 27 1 24 32 10.1002/ana.410270106 2301924 Bourgeois BF Prensky AL Palkes HS Talent BK Busch SG Intelligence in epilepsy: a prospective study in children Ann Neurol 1983 Oct 14 4 438 444 10.1002/ana.410140407 6416142 Rodin EA Schmaltz S Twitty G Intellectual functions of patients with childhood-onset epilepsy Dev Med Child Neurol 1986 Feb 28 1 25 33 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1986.tb03826.x 3949082