Abstract

Nonconvulsive seizures (NCSs) after traumatic and ischemic brain injury are often refractory to antiepileptic drug therapy and are associated with a decline in patient outcome. We recently characterized an in vivo rat model of focal brain ischemia-induced NCS and here sought to evaluate potential pharmacological treatments. Electroencephalographic activity was recorded continuously for 24 h in freely behaving rats subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). Rats were treated with an antiepileptic drug from one of seven different drug classes at ED₅₀ and 2× ED₅₀ doses (as reported in other rat seizure models), delivered as a single i.v. injection 20 min post-MCAo. Vehicle-treated rats (n = 9) had an 89% incidence of NCS with an average number of NCS of 8.6 ± 1.9. The latency to onset of NCS was 32.5 ± 3.4 min post-MCAo with an average duration of 49.1 ± 8.2 s/event. The high doses of ethosuximide, gabapentin, fos-phenytoin, and valproate significantly reduced the incidence of NCS (11, 14, 14, and 38%, respectively), whereas midazolam, phenobarbital, and dextromethorphan had no significant effect at either dose. Across treatment groups, there was a low but significant correlation between the number of NCS events per animal and volume of brain infarction (r = 0.352). Antiepileptic drug therapy that prevented the occurrence of NCS also reduced mortality from 26 to 7%. Based on combined effects on NCS, infarction, neurological recovery, and mortality, ethosuximide and gabapentin were identified as having the best therapeutic profile.