Brain glycogen content is increased in the acute and interictal chronic stages of the mouse pilocarpine model of epilepsy.

Glucose is the main brain fuel in fed conditions, while astrocytic glycogen is used as supplemental fuel when the brain is stimulated. Brain glycogen levels are decreased shortly after induced seizures in rodents, but little is known about how glycogen levels are affected interictally in chronic models of epilepsy. Reduced glutamine synthetase activity has been suggested to lead to increased brain glycogen levels in humans with chronic epilepsy. Here, we used the mouse pilocarpine model of epilepsy to investigate whether brain glycogen levels are altered, both acutely and in the chronic stage of the model. One day after pilocarpine-induced convulsive status epilepticus (CSE), glycogen levels were higher in the hippocampal formation, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum. Opposite to expected, this was accompanied by elevated glutamine synthetase activity in the hippocampus but not the cortex. Increased interictal glycogen amounts were seen in the hippocampal formation and cerebral cortex in the chronic stage of the model (21 days post-CSE), suggesting long-lasting alterations in glycogen metabolism. Glycogen solubility in the cerebral cortex was unaltered in this epilepsy mouse model. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (Gsk3b) mRNA levels were reduced in the hippocampal formations of mice in the chronic stage, which may underlie the elevated brain glycogen content in this model. This is the first report of elevated interictal glycogen levels in a chronic epilepsy model. Increased glycogen amounts in the brain may influence seizure susceptibility in this model, and this warrants further investigation.

Increasing the tissue thickness at implant sites using guided bone regeneration and an additional collagen matrix: Histologic observations in beagle dogs.

OBJECTIVES: To histologically determine the alteration in horizontal mucosal thickness at sites that received guided bone regeneration (GBR) with additional use of collagen matrix and to assess whether bone formation is affected by adding collagen matrix at GBR sites at 8 weeks of healing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight weeks after bilateral extraction of maxillary premolars, standardized defects were created on buccal side of edentulous ridges in four beagle dogs. One side was randomly allocated as control (biphasic calcium phosphate plus collagen membrane; GBR only), while contralateral side was allocated as test (biphasic calcium phosphate plus collagen membrane plus an additional layer of collagen matrix). Histologic observations, histomorphometric and micro-computed tomography analyses were performed after 8 weeks. RESULTS: Membrane complex comprising residual collagen membrane and adjacent dense connective tissue was observed at both control and test sites. The thickness in the histologic analysis were 1.69 ± 0.23 mm (control) and 1.76 ± 0.07 mm (test) in histologic analysis and were 2.03 ± 0.26 mm (control) and 2.14 ± 0.24 mm (test) in radiographic analysis. The thickness of the membrane complex in soft-tissue layer were 723.0 ± 241.6 µm (control) and 984.6 ± 334.4 µm (test). The percentage of new bone formation were 22.30 ± 5.92% (control) and 25.50 ± 8.08% (test). All measured outcome did not show significant differences between control and test groups. CONCLUSION: The addition of collagen matrix on top of standard GBR procedure did not increase the soft tissue thickness and dense connective tissue formation at 8 weeks of healing. Bone regeneration was not affected by the addition of collagen matrix. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 741-749, 2019.

Radiographic and histologic observations of sequential healing processes following ridge augmentation after tooth extraction in buccal-bone-deficient extraction sockets in beagle dogs.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate dimensional ridge alterations and sequential healing processes following ridge augmentation after tooth extraction in damaged extraction sockets with buccal-bone-deficiency. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Bilateral dental roots of three mandibular premolars were extracted with entire removal of the buccal-bone plate in eight beagle dogs. Unilateral sites were grafted with biomaterials (test group) and contralateral sites were healed without grafting (control group). Observations were made after 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks, and all sites were distributed evenly (n = 6 for each group and period). Radiographic/histomorphometric analyses were performed. RESULTS: In spontaneous healing of damaged extraction sockets, the dimension of regenerated alveolar ridge gradually increased until 4 weeks and then remained stable, but radiographic/histomorphometric analyses revealed evident dimensional shrinkage compared to the pristine tissue at 8 weeks in the coronal and middle areas. Bone grafting retained the pristine dimension of alveolar ridge, and newly formed bone area within the augmented space continuously expanded during the observational period to the outermost border of the space. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous healing of damaged extraction sockets caused substantial dimensional shrinkage. However, ridge augmentation can provide space into which new bone may grow continuously, resulting in the final dimensions comparable to those of the pristine alveolar ridge.