Seizures during pregnancy modify the development of hippocampal interneurons of the offspring

Abstract

We investigated the effect of epileptic seizures during pregnancy on hippocampal expression of calciumbindingproteins in the offspring. Female Wistar rats were submitted to the pilocarpine model and mated during the chronic period. Seizure frequency was monitored over the entire pregnancy. Pups were perfusedat postnatal days 6 and 13, and the brains processed for Nissl staining and immunohistochemistry for NeuN,calbindin, calretinin, and parvalbumin. Number of stained cells in the hippocampus was estimated throughstereological methods. Our results showed a decrease in epileptic seizure frequency during pregnancy. Nodifferences were observed in NeuN-positive, CR-positive cells, and Nissl-stained hippocampal neuronsbetween the groups. However, there was a significant decrease in calbindin-positive cells (P=0.005) and asignificant increase in parvalbumin-positive cells (P=0.02) in the experimental group when compared withthe control group. These results suggest that seizures during pregnancy affect the development of specifichippocampal interneurons of the offspring.