Suppression of Seizure Development After Intracerebral Autotransplantation of the Superior Celvical Ganglion in a Rapid Kindling Model of Rats

Recent studies demonstrated that central norepinephrine (NE) plays an important suppressing role in the development of seizure in several experimental epileptic models. Transplantation of fetal NE-rich neurons in the locus ceruleus into either hippocampus or amygdalapiriform cortex can retard the development of seizures in hippocampal kindling. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of transplantation of peripheral NE neurons in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) on seizure development in a rapid kindling model of epilepsy in rats. Twenty three Sprague-Dawley strain male rats were divided into 3 groups: 1) normal group (7 rats). Rapid kindling was performed without any pretreatment. 2) control group (6 rats). Forebrain NE was depleted by microinjection of 6-OHDA into bilateral dorsal tegmental bundles. Three months after 6-OHDA injection, rapid kindling was performed. 3) Transplantation group (10 rats). Two weeks after 6-OHDA injection, autologous superior cervical ganglion was transplanted into the piriform and amygdaloid cortex. Then, rapid kindling was performed as in the other two groups. Rapid