Study on hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in rats after status epilepticus

Objectives: To observe hippocampal neuronal apoptosis phenomenon in rats after status epilepticus(SE) induced by bemegride. Methods:SD rats were given bemegride( 20 mg/kg) intra abdominally,and after 24 hours the morphology of the hippocampal neurons was detected through light microscope and electron microscope.Meanwhile,In Situ End Labeling(TUNEL) was used to measure hippocampal neuronal apoptosis. Results:After being injected bemegride, the rats displayed characteristic seizure attacks.Under the light microscope and electron microscope,the hippocampal neurons displayed a characteristic pattern of structural changes in nucleus and cytoplasm, including blebbing of plasma membrane and nuclear disintegration, with some apoptotic bodies in formation.Positive TUNEL cells could be seen in the hippocampal structure,and the distribution was not the same,which was more in the hippocampal CA3 region .There was significant difference( P 0.01) in the average rate of hippocampal CA3 region positive TUNEL cells between the study group(75.14%) and the control(9.4%). Conclusions:SE can induce hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in rats.