DOI

https://doi.org/10.25772/3G33-Z990

Defense Date

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Anatomy & Neurobiology

First Advisor

Dr. Severn B. Churn

Abstract

This study was conducted to characterize cellular changes occurring during the progression of status epilepticus (SE) that could lead to the maintenance of increased membrane excitability. SE was induced by injection of pilocarpine after which rats were monitored both electrographically and behaviorally. After various lengths of time in SE, specific brain regions were isolated for biochemical study. SE resulted in an early maintenance of PKA activity in both cortical homogenate and crude synaptoplasmic membrane (crude SPM) fractions. At subsequent stages of SE there was a significant increase in PKA activity in both homogenate and crude SPM fractions. Wester blot analysis showed that alteration of PKA protein expression was not responsible for the increase in PKA activity. These results show that SE has a significant duration-dependent effect on PKA activity. Combined with other cellular changes these findings, could represent a mechanism for the formation for potentiated seizure states like epilepsy.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

June 2008

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