Perilesional Cortex Research Articles

Alumina cream-induced focal motor epilepsy in cats. Part 5. Excision and transplant of the epileptogenic granuloma.

The role of alumina cream (AC) epileptic granulomas in producing clinical convulsions and EEG spikes was evaluated by excising and transplanting such granulomas from donors to recipient cats. In donors, granulomas were produced by single microinjections of AC into the right motor cortex and were subsequently excised during latent premature (P), mature (M), convulsive, and remission stages. The excised granulomas from donors were homogenized and injected into the homologous cortices of the recipient cats. The epileptogenic effect of the AC granuloma transplant in the recipients and the antiepileptogenic effect of the AC granuloma excision in the donors were evaluated by the presence or absence of clinical convulsions and the maximal EEG spike density at the right motor cortex (MSD) after lesion excision and transplant. In addition, a correlation between MSD (spikes/10 min) of donors and recipients and the aluminum content (microgram/ml) in granuloma and perilesional cortex of control epileptic cats (neither excised nor transplanted) was established during latent P, M, convulsive, and remission stages. The epileptogenic effect of AC granulomas transplanted into recipients was significantly larger when they were excised from donors in latent P and M than in convulsive, and in convulsive than in remission. The antiepileptogenic effect of AC granuloma excision in donors was significantly larger in latent P than in latent M and convulsive, and in convulsive than in remission. The aluminum content of AC granuloma and perilesional and contralateral cortices in controls was significantly larger in latent P and M than in convulsive and in convulsive than in remission.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alumina cream-induced focal motor epilepsy in cats. IV. Thickness and cellularity of layers in the perilesional motor cortex.

Thickness and cellularity of motor cortical layers adjacent to epileptogenic lesions produced by administration of alumina cream (AC) were measured in the brains of 18 cats that were at latent, convulsive, and remissive stages of an experimental model of epilepsy. Sham-operated animals were used as controls. Brains were fixed by perfusion and embedded in paraffin. Sections of motor cortex adjacent to the AC deposit were obtained at constant thickness to measure thickness and cellularity in each cortical layer. A statistically significant reduction in thickness and cellularity was detected in layers 2, 4, and 6, whereas reduction in these aspects was not significant in layers 3 and 5 in the initial stages of the model (latent and convulsive). It is suggested that AC may exert a cytotoxic effect on inhibitory neurons located at layers 2 and 4, to determine an imbalance of intracortical excitability.