Brain metabolite concentration estimates using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in a chronic model of temporal lobe epilepsy

The pilocarpine rat brain model is a well-studied model of temporal lobe epilepsy. The purposes of this study were: (1) to estimate the brain metabolite concentration changes in the hippocampus of pilocarpine rats by Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, 24 h (acute phase) and 2 months (chronic phase) after the onset of Status Epilepticus ; (2) to compare the metabolite concentration estimates to those obtained from healthy rats. In vivo short echo-time signals of epileptic and healthy rat brains were acquired at 7 T in the hippocampus. A statistically significant increase of lactate concentration was quantified 24 h after Status Epilepticus . The N -acetylaspartate concentrations slightly decreased in the acute phase, continuing to decrease in the chronic phase, resulting in a statistically significant loss compared to the healthy rat brains.