The Effect of Binge Drinking Treatment on Nom-synaptic Epileptiform Activities

摘要

Non-synaptic mechanisms have been related to the onset of epileptic seizures and brain damage caused by alcohol intoxication. To understand this relationship, adult male Wistar rats, between 300 and 350 g, were submitted to the binge drinking alcohol protocol, receiving ethanol every 8 h for 4 consecutive days intragastrically. Part of the animals developed status epilepticus about 12 h after the last dose of ethanol. Changes in the immunoreactivity of the cation-chloride co-transporters (NKCC1 and KCC2), NaV K+-ATPase enzyme and astrocytic reactivity (GFAP expression) of alcoholic animals with and without seizures and control animals were investigated. Immunohistochem-ical analyzes were compared to electrophysiological recordings of non-synaptic epileptiform activity induced in hippocampal slices. The results show that the periodic and abusive use of alcohol is associated with imbalances of the ionic homeostasis in the brain, leading to serious osmotic variations related to neuronal and glial swelling, with concomitant cellular loss, which hinders synchronization processes, especially after status epilepticus.