Refinement of the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus model in mice to improve mortality outcomes

Systemic pilocarpine administration has been widely implemented to generate rodent models of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE), but pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) in mice causes a high mortality rate, likely due to cardiorespiratory collapse associated with prolonged seizures. Althou...

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Main Authors: Mi Jiang, Yu Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Neuroscience
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1592014/full
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author Mi Jiang
Mi Jiang
Yu Wang
Yu Wang
Yu Wang
author_facet Mi Jiang
Mi Jiang
Yu Wang
Yu Wang
Yu Wang
author_sort Mi Jiang
collection DOAJ
description Systemic pilocarpine administration has been widely implemented to generate rodent models of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE), but pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) in mice causes a high mortality rate, likely due to cardiorespiratory collapse associated with prolonged seizures. Although it has been well known that SE impairs the functional properties of GABARs and benzodiazepine is not effective in treating late SE both in humans and experimental animals, diazepam is still the most commonly used medication to abort SE in pilocarpine-mTLE models. Here, we instead used levetiracetam (LEV), a specific synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2) inhibitor in presynaptic terminals, to abort SE and achieved a substantially increased survival rate, providing a robust experimental paradigm to improve animal welfare, research cost, and experimental design. Comparable to previous studies, these mice developed reliable seizures and pathological changes in the hippocampus, including neuronal loss, gliosis, and mossy fiber sprouting. In summary, our optimized LEV-treated, pilocarpine-based protocol establishes a reliable mouse model of mTLE with significantly improved survival outcomes.
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spelling doaj-art-c0b2ffae592f4e6085124f30dbd528a22025-08-20T02:14:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2025-05-011910.3389/fnins.2025.15920141592014Refinement of the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus model in mice to improve mortality outcomesMi Jiang0Mi Jiang1Yu Wang2Yu Wang3Yu Wang4Department of Neurology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesAnn Arbor VA Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesNeuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesSystemic pilocarpine administration has been widely implemented to generate rodent models of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE), but pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) in mice causes a high mortality rate, likely due to cardiorespiratory collapse associated with prolonged seizures. Although it has been well known that SE impairs the functional properties of GABARs and benzodiazepine is not effective in treating late SE both in humans and experimental animals, diazepam is still the most commonly used medication to abort SE in pilocarpine-mTLE models. Here, we instead used levetiracetam (LEV), a specific synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2) inhibitor in presynaptic terminals, to abort SE and achieved a substantially increased survival rate, providing a robust experimental paradigm to improve animal welfare, research cost, and experimental design. Comparable to previous studies, these mice developed reliable seizures and pathological changes in the hippocampus, including neuronal loss, gliosis, and mossy fiber sprouting. In summary, our optimized LEV-treated, pilocarpine-based protocol establishes a reliable mouse model of mTLE with significantly improved survival outcomes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1592014/fulllevetiracetampilocarpinestatus epilepticusmortality ratemesial temporal lobe epilepsy
spellingShingle Mi Jiang
Mi Jiang
Yu Wang
Yu Wang
Yu Wang
Refinement of the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus model in mice to improve mortality outcomes
Frontiers in Neuroscience
levetiracetam
pilocarpine
status epilepticus
mortality rate
mesial temporal lobe epilepsy
title Refinement of the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus model in mice to improve mortality outcomes
title_full Refinement of the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus model in mice to improve mortality outcomes
title_fullStr Refinement of the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus model in mice to improve mortality outcomes
title_full_unstemmed Refinement of the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus model in mice to improve mortality outcomes
title_short Refinement of the pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus model in mice to improve mortality outcomes
title_sort refinement of the pilocarpine induced status epilepticus model in mice to improve mortality outcomes
topic levetiracetam
pilocarpine
status epilepticus
mortality rate
mesial temporal lobe epilepsy
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1592014/full
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AT yuwang refinementofthepilocarpineinducedstatusepilepticusmodelinmicetoimprovemortalityoutcomes
AT yuwang refinementofthepilocarpineinducedstatusepilepticusmodelinmicetoimprovemortalityoutcomes
AT yuwang refinementofthepilocarpineinducedstatusepilepticusmodelinmicetoimprovemortalityoutcomes