Reactions and Relationship of Rat Hippocampus Neurons and Astrocytes to Kainate Induced Complex Partial Seizures

Aim:To investigate the temporal and spatial reactions of neurons and astrocytes after seizures were induced.Methods:The kainate(KA) induced complex partial seizures were used as the model,combined with the immunohistochemical stain,the Fos protein for neuron and GFAP for astrocyte activity were observed on the situ brain slices at different time points after KA injection.Results:GFAP positive cells began to increase 15 min after seizures kindling,and reached maximum at 60 min;while Fos positive neurons appeared at 30 min,peaked at 120 min.The distribution of Fos like positive neurons and GFAP positive cells were fundamentally parallelled.Conclusion:Under epileptic condition,the reactions of astrocytes are earlier than those of the neurons in the rat hippocampus.Not only the pattern is similar but there might exist communication within them through a functional complex reacting to various stimuli together.