Toward evidence‐based severity assessment in rat models with repeated seizures: I. Electrical kindling

• DOI: 10.1111/epi.14028
• Publication Date: 2018-02-26T07:39:03Z
• Authors: Christina Möller; Fabio Wolf; R. Maarten van Dijk; Valentina Di Liberto; Vera Russmann; Michael Keck; Rupert Palme; Rainer Hellweg; Peter Gass; Christiane Otzdorff; Heidrun Potschka
• Keywords: Corticosterone

Rodent epilepsy models can significantly contribute to our understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms and validation biomarker target candidates. Evidence-based severity assessment is a presupposition for the ethical evaluation animal experimentation allowances as well development efficacious refinement concepts.Aiming improve impact experimental procedures repeated seizures, we have completed comprehensive behavioral biochemical analysis assessing various parameters that inform about influence an electrical kindling paradigm on well-being in rats. Thereby, focused immediate effects phases with focal generalized seizures testing during acquisition.Electrode implantation exerted mild anxiety-associated behavior reduced serum corticosterone at 3 weeks, but not 7 following surgery. Analysis kindled rats excluded any relevant parameters. Assessment revealed nest complexity scores, soiling, selected paradigms evaluating behavior. Moreover, levels, neither hair nor fecal metabolite concentrations were lowered consequence seizures. The other did reveal Cross-correlation suggested building maintenance provide information comparable from more elaborate assays. This finding provides first evidence scoring might serve simple valid approach evaluate rat routine schemes.The findings argue against persistent level pronounced distress suggest classification model moderate based longer-lasting patterns. suggestion basis prospective retrospective case-by-case assessment.