Epilepsy Modeling and Drug Efficacy Testing Service

Disease Mechanism

Epilepsy is a chronic disease caused by sudden abnormal discharge of neurons in the brain, resulting in transient brain dysfunction. The pathogenesis of epilepsy is mainly caused by the imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the central nervous system, which is related to the changes in ion channel neurotransmitters and glial cells.

Epilepsy Modeling

1) The chronic epilepsy model can reflect the onset, development, and accompanying changes in brain pathophysiology. This provides the basis for a more in-depth study of epilepsy. According to the intensity of the stimulus and the degree of the induced disease, it can be divided into ignition model, persistent epilepsy model, and spontaneous epilepsy model.

2) The acute epilepsy model is usually an acute seizure model that can induce epilepsy with a single treatment. Including maximal electroshock (maximal electroshock, MES) epilepsy model and pentylenetetrazol (pentylenetetrazol, PTZ) epilepsy model.

3) Kainic acid is an excitatory glutamate analog, which has exact neuroexcitability and neurotoxicity. Kainic acid induces limbic lobe epilepsy by activating glutamate receptor-dense hippocampus. Intraperitoneal administration of kainic acid induces status epilepticus, similar to human temporal lobe epilepsy, with specific hippocampal damage.

4) Lithium (lithium)-Pilocarpine (Pilocarpine) model is currently the most widely used status epilepticus model and spontaneous seizure model. Pilocarpine is a cholinergic muscle agonist that can cause seizures when administered systemically. Lithium chloride is used to increase the body's sensitivity to pilocarpine.

5) PTZ (pentylenetetrazol) mainly acts on the brainstem and forebrain, enhancing the facilitation process of excitatory synapses and causing convulsions. The PTZ model can simulate generalized seizures in human myoclonic epilepsy.

Assays after Modeling

1) Determination of the level of convulsive behavioral response

2) Cognitive function test

3) Immunohistochemical detection (GFAP, NeuN), etc.

In addition to the above tests, we can also provide MRI/PET-CT in vivo imaging of small animals, cardiac ultrasound, X-ray films, tissue fluorescence imaging (whole brain slide scan, tissue immunofluorescence imaging), patch clamp on cells and brain slices, multi-channel in vivo electrophysiological recordings, respiration recordings, behavioral testing of pain, anxiety, depression, olfactory function-related (go/no-go) in awake animals.

With extensive research experience, Creative Biolabs also helps our clients validate and develop the most cost-effective experimental designs and protocols. Technical support is provided throughout the research process. If you are interested in our service, please feel free to contact us for more details.