Dataset on sociability, cognitive function, gene and protein expression of molecules involved in social behavior, reward system and synapse function following early-life status epilepticus in Wistar rats.

Early-life status epilepticus produces deficit in social interaction and vocalization, enhances anxiety, no cognitive impairment and alters functional connectivity within the hippocampus (CA3-CA1) and between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. This data article contains behavioral and molecular data of the adult male Wistar rats subjected to early life pilocarpine-induced seizures. Animal's behaviors were assessed to social memory and social motivation, working and reference memories and cognitive flexibility. The brain tissues (hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and striatum) were probed to gene and protein expression of molecules related to social behavior, reward system and synaptic function.

Evidences of reliability and validity of the sensory assessment instrument Sensory Profile: a preliminary study / Evidências de confiabilidade e validade do instrumento de avaliação sensorial Sensory Profile: um estudo preliminar / Evidencias de confiabilidad y validez de la herramienta de evaluación Sensory Profile: un estudio preliminar

Considering the importance and need for studies that analyze the psychometric properties of assessment tools, this study investigated the psychometric parameters of reliability and validity of the Sensory Profile. The sample was composed of 336 children from the São Paulo metropolitan area, Brazil, aged from 5 to 10, from both genders, 298 of which did not have neurodevelopmental disorders and 38 of which had Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The tool showed satisfactory internal consistency with alpha values above 0.60 in most categories and factors. The mean scores of the sample of Brazilian children without neurodevelopmental disorders differed from the American normative sample. Children with ASD had lower sensory processing performance than children without neurodevelopmental disorders. The results showed that the Sensory Profile as translated and culturally adapted to Brazilian Portuguese pointed to the presence of sensory impairments in children with ASD investigated in this research.

Considerando-se a necessidade e importância de trabalhos que analisem propriedades psicométricas de instrumentos de avaliação, o presente estudo investigou parâmetros psicométricos de confiabilidade e validade do Sensory Profile. A amostra foi composta de 336 crianças da região metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil, de 5 a 10 anos de idade, de ambos os sexos, sendo 298 sem transtornos do neurodesenvolvimento e 38 com Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA). O instrumento apresentou consistência interna satisfatória com valores de alfa acima de 0,60 na maioria das categorias e dos fatores. A média dos escores da amostra de crianças brasileiras sem transtornos do neurodesenvolvimento diferiu da amostra normativa norte-americana. As crianças com TEA apresentaram desempenho do processamento sensorial inferior ao das crianças sem transtornos do neurodesenvolvimento. Os resultados mostraram que o Sensory Profile traduzido e adaptado culturalmente para o português do Brasil apontou para a presença de prejuízos sensoriais nas crianças com TEA investigadas nesta pesquisa.

Teniendo en cuenta la necesidad e importancia de trabajos que analicen propiedades psicométricas de herramientas de evaluación, en este estudio se han investigado los parámetros psicométricos de confiabilidad y validez del Sensory Profile. La muestra estuvo compuesta de 336 niños de la región metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil, de 05 a 10 años, ambos sexos, 298 sin trastornos del neurodesarrollo y 38 con Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA). La herramienta demostró consistencia interna satisfactoria con valores de alfa superiores a 0,60 en la mayoría de las categorías y factores. La media de puntajes de la muestra de niños brasileños sin trastornos del neurodesarrollo se diferenció de la muestra normativa americana. Los niños con TEA lograron desempeño del procesamiento sensorial inferior al de los niños sin trastornos del neurodesarrollo. Los resultados mostraron que el Sensory Profile traducido y adaptado culturalmente para el portugués de Brasil señaló la presencia de daños sensoriales en los niños con TEA de esta investigación.

Induction of Type 2 Iodothyronine Deiodinase After Status Epilepticus Modifies Hippocampal Gene Expression in Male Mice.

Status epilepticus (SE) is an abnormally prolonged seizure that results from either a failure of mechanisms that terminate seizures or from initiating mechanisms that inherently lead to prolonged seizures. Here we report that mice experiencing a 3 hours of SE caused by pilocarpine exhibit a rapid increase in expression of type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase gene (Dio2) and a decrease in the expression of type 3 iodothyronine deiodinase gene in hippocampus, amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Type 3 iodothyronine deiodinase in hippocampal sections was seen concentrated in the neuronal nuclei, typical of ischemic injury of the brain. An unbiased analysis of the hippocampal transcriptome of mice undergoing 3 hours of SE revealed a number of genes, including those involved with response to oxidative stress, cellular homeostasis, cell signaling, and mitochondrial structure. In contrast, in mice with targeted disruption of Dio2 in astrocytes (Astro D2KO mouse), the highly induced genes in the hippocampus were related to inflammation, apoptosis, and cell death. We propose that Dio2 induction caused by SE accelerates production of T3 in different areas of the central nervous system and modifies the hippocampal gene expression profile, affecting the balance between adaptive and maladaptive mechanisms.

Effect of diazepam on sociability of rats submitted to neonatal seizures.

Status epilepticus (SE), an acute condition characterized by repetitive or ongoing seizures activity, may produce long-term deleterious consequences. Previous data demonstrated that Wistar rats subjected to neonatal SE displayed autistic behavior, characterized by social play impairment, low preference by novelty, deficit in social discrimination; anxiety related behavior and stereotyped behavior with no changes in locomotor activity (doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00702-010-0460-1, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00036, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00702-014-1291-2[1], [2], [3]). Taking into account the bi-directional relationship between the state of anxiety and social interaction (doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10567-009-0062-3[4]), we evaluated the impact of the state of anxiety on social interaction. Male Wistar rats at postnatal day 9 were subjected to pilocarpine-induced neonatal SE (380 mg/kg, ip) and the controls received 0.9% saline (0.1 ml/10 g). The groups received saline or diazepam (1.0 mg/kg) 45 min prior each behavioral testing that started from 60 days of postnatal life. In the open field, rats subjected to neonatal seizure exhibited less central zone activity as compared to animals treated with diazepam, with no changes in the total locomotor activity. In elevated plus maze, rats subjected to neonatal seizure and treated with diazepam exhibited higher locomotor activity and spent more time on the open arms as compared to untreated animals. In approach phase of sociability paradigm, animals subjected to neonatal seizures similarly to controls, regardless the treatment, spent more time with social stimulus as compared to non social stimulus. In social novelty phase of sociability paradigm, animals subjected to neonatal seizures differently of controls, regardless the treatment, spent similar time with familiar and novel stimulus.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation reduces resting heart rate of rats with epilepsy.

Since cardiovascular dysfunction may contribute to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3 FAs) might be beneficial as an adjunctive therapy for SUDEP prevention. It is well recognized that omega-3 FAs exert positive effects on the cardiovascular system including heart rate (HR) reduction, a major risk factor to sudden death. Thus, we evaluated the effects of chronic supplementation of omega-3 FAs on the HR of rats with epilepsy. In agreement with our previous investigations, this study also showed that the HR of animals with epilepsy is higher than that of the control group. Quite interestingly, chronic supplementation with omega-3 FAs restored the HR of rats with epilepsy toward control values. In conclusion, although further investigations are still required, our preliminary results showed a potential preventive effect of omega-3 FA supplementation against SUDEP.

Fish oil attenuates methylmalonate-induced seizures.

Methylmalonic acidemias are inherited metabolic disorders characterized by methylmalonate (MMA) accumulation and neurological dysfunction, including seizures. Dietary fatty acids are known as an important energy source and reduce seizure activity in selected acute animal models. This study investigated whether chronic treatment with fish oil or with oleic acid attenuates MMA-induced seizures and whether maintenance of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity was involved in such an effect. Adult male Wistar rats were given fish oil (85 mg/kg), oleic acid (85 mg/kg) or vehicle (0.42% aqueous Cremophor EL™, 4 mL/kg/body weight/day), p.o., for 75 days. On the 73th day a cannula was implanted in the right lateral ventricle with electrodes over the parietal cortex for EEG recording. On the 76th day the animals were injected with NaCl (2.5 µmol/2.5 µL, i.c.v.), or with MMA (2.5 µmol/2.5 µL, i.c.v.), and seizure activity was measured by electroencephagraphic (EEG) recording with concomitant behavior monitoring. The effect of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity of slices of cerebral cortex from NaCl-injected animals was determined. Fish oil increased the latency to MMA-induced tonic-clonic seizures, reduced the mean amplitude of ictal EEG recordings, and prevented PGE2-induced decrease of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in cortical slices in vitro. Oleic acid decreased mean amplitude of ictal EEG recordings. The results support that fish oil decreases MMA-induced seizures. The decreased sensitivity of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase to the inhibitory effect of PGE2 in fish oil-treated animals may be related to the currently reported anticonvulsant activity.