Modeling early-onset postischemic seizures in adult and aging mice

Abstract

Stroke is the most common cause of seizures in the adult and elderly population. The development of seizures after stroke is known to be associated with poorer prognoses including higher rates of disability and mortality. Currently, the pathophysiology of how these post-stroke seizures develop and why they occur in certain patients but not in others is not well understood. The use of prophylactic antiepileptics/anticonvulsants after stroke and its unproven role in preventing late-onset poststroke seizures remains a contentious issue. Our recent experiments have focused on examining early-onset postischemic seizures in adult and aging mice using a middle cerebral artery occlusion model and a hypoxia–ischemia model. We focused on electroencephalographic recordings, characterization and detection of convulsive and nonconvulsive seizures, assessment of histological brain injury, and the role of anticonvulsant treatment. Here we discuss these experiments in the hopes that our experience may further future investigations in mouse models of postischemic seizures and other neurological diseases.