Increased seizure threshold in mice lacking aquaporin-4 water channels.
Mice deficient in the glial water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4) show decreased cerebral edema and improved neurological outcome following water intoxication or ischemic challenge. In this report, we tested seizure susceptibility in AQP4 mice. AQP4 mice and wild-type controls were given the chemoconvulsant pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and monitored for seizure activity. At 40 mg/kg PTZ, all wild-type mice exhibited seizure activity, whereas six of seven AQP4 mice did not exhibit seizure activity. At 50 mg/kg PTZ, both groups exhibited seizure activity; however, the latency to generalized (tonic-clonic) seizures was significantly lower in wild-type than AQP4 mice. These results suggest that glial water channels may modulate brain excitability and the initiation and generalization of seizure activity.[1]References
- Increased seizure threshold in mice lacking aquaporin-4 water channels. Binder, D.K., Oshio, K., Ma, T., Verkman, A.S., Manley, G.T. Neuroreport (2004) [Pubmed]
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