The effect of exercise training on audiogenic seizure intensity in genetically epilepsy-prone rats / by Margaret H. Wooten.
| Author/creator | Wooten, Margaret H. author. |
| Other author | Peterson, Gary M., degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Biology. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 1996. |
| Description | ix, 78 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | The relation between exercise and the degree and frequency of epileptic seizures is unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the hypothesis that endurance treadmill running reduces seizure severity in genetically epilepsy-prone rats (GEPRs). Members of the GEPR-3 rat strain have seizures that consist of one wild running phase followed by a clonic convulsion when exposed to auditory stimuli. Prior to training, animals were exposed to a ringing bell (110 dB) once per week for three weeks. Seizure severity was rated according to a 0-9 behavioral scale. Those rats with two consecutive seizure scores of 3 were selected for the study. Also measured were latency to onset of the wild running phase, duration of clonus, and total duration of convulsions. Approximately half of the GEPRs were then run on a treadmill (15% grade, 28.6 m/min) 5 days/week, beginning with 10 min/day, with time increasing each day until they were running for 2 hours/day. To evaluate seizure activity, rats were again exposed to the bell on the fifth day of each week, immediately after the running session and 24 hours later. Non-running GEPRs served as controls and were similarly evaluated for seizures in response to the bell. Muscle citrate synthase activity was significantly greater in the runners than in the nonrunners for both males and females, indicating that the running animals were trained. Seizure severity in the GEPR-3s appears to have been reduced in both sexes as a result of treadmill runnning. A moderate training regimen, such as that experienced by the GEPRs during the second and third weeks of the exercise program, was most effective in producing antiepileptic effects in the females. In males, antiepileptic effects were present during all four weeks of the training protocol. For both sexes, beneficial effects were observed immediately after running as well as 24 hours later, indicating that GEPRs may receive both immediate and long term rewards from exercise. |
| General note | Submitted to the faculty of the Department of Biology. |
| General note | Advisor: Gary M. Peterson |
| Dissertation note | M.S. East Carolina University 1996 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-73). |
| Genre/form | dissertations. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | University Archives | ASK AT SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DESK | ✔ Available | Request Material |
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