The effect of duloxetine on ECoG activity of absence-epilepsy model in WAG/Rij rats

Abstract

Aim: Many
 epidemiological studies have found a high
 incidence of depression and anxiety in people with epilepsy. Duloxetine is a selective
 inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake (SNRI) and commonly prescribed in a patient with major depressive
 disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate
 the effect of duloxetine on the WAG/Rij rat in an experimental rat model
 of absence-epilepsy.
 
 Methods: WAG/Rij
 rats were randomly assigned into 5 groups with 7 animals in each group. Tripolar
 electrodes were placed on the skull to
 perform electrocorticography (ECoG) evaluation. Then, following the recovery
 period, ECoGs were recorded at 09:00 am for 3 hours every day. Subsequently, duloxetine (1, 5, 10
 and 30 mg/kg) was injected
 intraperitoneally (i.p). After
 the treatment program, ECoG recordings were taken for 3 hours. And then all
 animal anxiety-like behavior by using the
 behavioral test, open field test (OFT) was performed after duloxetine (1,5,10
 and 30 mg/kg) treatment. The total number and
 the total duration of the spike-wave
 discharges (SWDs) were
 calculated offline. The
 number of squares crossed (locomotor activity) and the duration of grooming
 episodes were analyzed in OFT.  
 
 Results: The doses of duloxetine (1 mg/kg) did not alter ECoG and OFT parameters. The 5, 10 and 30 mg/kg doses of duloxetine decreased the total number and the total duration of
 SWDs, (p<0.05) and increased the number of squares crossed when
 compared to with control group (p <0.05) without changing duration of
 grooming episodes (p> 0.05). Intraperitoneal administering of 1 mg/kg
 duloxetine did not show any statistically
 significant change in regard to the number and duration of SWDs.
 
 Conclusions: In the present study, duloxetine reduce
 dose-dependent absences-like seizures and
 anxiety-like behavior.