Characterization of metabolic activity induced by kainic acid in adult rat whole brain at the early stage: A 18FDG-PET study.

OBJECTIVE: Brain metabolic processes are not fully characterized in the kainic acid (KA)-induced Status Epilepticus (KASE). Thus, we evaluated the usefulness of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) as an experimental strategy to evaluate in vivo, in a non-invasive way, the glucose consumption in several brain regions, in a semi-quantitative study to compare and to correlate with data from electroencephalography and histology studies. METHODS: Sixteen male Wistar rats underwent FDG-PET scans at basal state and after KA injection. FDG-PET images were normalized to an MRI-based atlas and segmented to locate regions. Standardized uptake values (SUV) were obtained at several time points. EEGs and cell viability by histological analysis, were also evaluated. RESULTS: FDG-PET data showed changes in regions such as: amygdala, hippocampus, accumbens, entorhinal cortex, motor cortex and hypothalamus. Remarkably, hippocampal hypermetabolism was found (mean SUV = 2.66 ± 0.057) 2 h after KA administration, while hypometabolism at 24 h (mean SUV = 1.83 ± 0.056) vs basal values (mean SUV = 2.19 ± 0.057). EEG showed increased spectral power values 2 h post-KA administration. Hippocampal viable-cell counting 24 h after KA was decreased, while Fluoro-Jade B-positive cells were increased, as compared to control rats, coinciding with the hypometabolism detected in the same region by semi-quantitative FDG-PET at 24 h after KASE. CONCLUSIONS: PET is suitable to measure metabolic brain changes in the rat model of status epilepticus induced by KA (KASE) at the first 24 h, compared to that of EEG; PET data may also be sensitive to cell viability.