Article

Prophylactic treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) has been
recommended to prevent early seizure onset in patients with traumatic brain
injury (TBI). However, the potential neuroprotective and/or detrimental effects
of prophylactic AED treatment on behavioral and cognitive function after TBI are
not well studied. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a novel AED,
levitiracetam (LEV), on behavioral and cognitive function after experimental TBI
in rats. METHODS: Adult male rats were administered LEV (intraperitoneal 50
mg/kg) or vehicle (saline; SL) daily for 20 days beginning 1 day after controlled
cortical impact (CCI; 2.8 mm; 4 m/s) or sham surgery. Beam performance (days
1-6), Y-maze (day 7), and Morris water maze (days 14-19) postinjury testing was
assessed. RESULTS: Daily LEV treatment improved motor function, increased novel
arm exploration in the Y-maze, elicited greater hippocampal cell sparing, and
decreased contusion volumes compared with CCI/SL rats. Daily LEV administration
also reversed a TBI-induced decrease in regional glutamate transporter expression
and neuroplastic marker proteins present 20 days post-CCI. Also, daily LEV
treatment decreased regional IL-1beta expression after TBI. CONCLUSIONS: These
results suggest that daily LEV treatment has beneficial effects on histological,
molecular, and behavioral elements of neurological recovery after TBI, in part,
via modulation of neuroinflammatory and excitatory pathways.

Langue : ANGLAIS