Kainic acid-induced seizures in the common marmoset.

Abstract

Treatment of epilepsy remains difficult because patients suffer from pharmacoresistant forms of the disease and drug side-effects. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify not only new antiepileptic drug candidates but also novel epileptic animal models. Here, we characterize seizures induced with kainic acid (KA) in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Adult marmosets received 0.1, 1, or 10 mg/kg of KA subcutaneously. All animals exhibited early convulsive behavior (seizure scores of I and II on the Racine scale). Seizure scores were low at lower KA doses, but the highest dose of KA tested triggered generalized seizures (scores IV and V on the Racine scale). We next performed preliminary evaluation of the efficacy of the antiepileptic drug diazepam. This drug at 1 mg/kg (delivered subcutaneously) prevented 10 mg/kg KA-induced stage V seizures. KA administration to marmosets reliably triggers generalized seizures; therefore, the marmoset is a useful animal model in which to analyze the seizures of a nonhuman primate brain and to develop new treatments for epilepsy.

• Authors: Akiyoshi Ishikawa, Yuri Mizuno, Keita Sakai, Takehiro Maki, Ryo Tanaka, Yasuhiro Oda, Kimie Niimi, Eiki Takahashi
• Journal: Biochemical and biophysical research communications (Biochem Biophys Res Commun) Vol. 525 Issue 3 Pg. 595-599 (05 07 2020) ISSN: 1090-2104 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 32115153 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Diazepam
• Kainic Acid

Topics

• Animals
• Behavior, Animal (drug effects)
• Callithrix
• Diazepam (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Kainic Acid (administration & dosage)
• Male
• Seizures (chemically induced, drug therapy, pathology)