Behavioral Characterization and Scoring of Seizures in Rodents

Velı́šková, Jana; Velı́šek, Libor

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-804066-9.00009-2

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…The Racine scale is an often-used method of evaluating seizure severity in experimental models of epilepsy. Originally, this scale has been developed to describe the progression of limbic seizures with secondary generalization in the amygdala-kindling model [1,2]. In this particular case, kindling was achieved via repeated targeted electrical stimulation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

PTZ-induced seizures in mice require a revised Racine scale

Erum

Dam

Deyn

2019

Epilepsy & Behavior

167

127

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Seizure severity in experimental models of epilepsy is often evaluated by means of the Racine scale, in spite of the use of seizure induction methods that are different from those of the original paper by Racine in 1972. In such cases, the use of this scale is not always justified because some seizure behaviors are significantly different from those originally described or not present at all. Correspondingly, the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) model, which is frequently used for antiepileptic drug research, lacked an adequate assessment tool to measure seizure severity. In 2009, an adapted intensity scale for PTZ-induced seizures was already designed for rats. Here, we evaluated electroencephalographic (EEG) and behavioral parameters after a single PTZ injection, to determine whether this scale is also suitable for use in mouse studies. We found that the scale designed for rats is quite robust and can thus be applied to score seizure severity in mice. Yet, certain convulsive behaviors and EEG characteristics were distinct between species. Therefore, a species-specific scale was designed, which included the concomitant EEG characteristic next to the behavioral expressions we observed, in order to establish a userfriendly scoring scale for PTZ-induced seizures in mice. To evaluate applicability, we utilized the scale in a seizure susceptibility study of a transgenic mouse model. We demonstrated that the maximum severity scores obtained with the newly revised Racine scale highly correlated with the administered dose. Hence, the revised scale differentiates well between different classes of seizure severity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

PTZ-induced seizures in mice require a revised Racine scale

Erum

Dam

Deyn

2019

Epilepsy & Behavior

167

127

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“…Convulsive seizures are observed in numerous epilepsy types (Scheffer, Berkovic et al 2017) and they can lead to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) (Massey, Sowers et al 2014), which is a major concern for epileptic patients and caregivers. They are also observed in numerous rodent models, both of genetic and acquired epilepsy (Velíšková 2017).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Epileptic seizures occur at variable frequencies, implying long term recordings (over days or weeks) for an accurate quantification, which is essential for the characterization of models and the assessment of the effects of treatments on spontaneous seizures. The features of seizures have been precisely classified both in humans (Fisher, Cross et al 2017) and in rodents (Racine 1972, Velíšková 2017), but the ability to detect seizures with automated or semi-automated methods is still a major challenge (Giannakakis 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A python-based package for long-lasting video acquisition and semi-automated detection of convulsive seizures in rodents

DIAZ-ARCE

GHOUMA

SCALMANI

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Background: Epilepsy is a very invalidating pathology characterized by the unpredictable appearance of abnormal cerebral activity leading to seizures and co-morbidities. The ability to detect and even predict seizures is a major challenge and many research laboratories are using rodents' models of epilepsy to unravel possible mechanisms. The gold standard to record and detect seizures is electroencephalography, but it is very invasive. For rodents used in research, video analysis is a very interesting approach but the major disadvantages are that it is time consuming, prone to human error, and not very reproducible. Commercial solutions for detailed phenotyping analysis on humans or rodents exist but they are costly. Some open source software programs are also available, they provide very interesting and precise behavior data, but none of them are made for high throughput analysis of a large number of video files generated by long lasting recordings. New method: We developed an open-source python-based package of two software programs that enable automated video acquisition and simple motion analysis associated with a spectral power analysis, which enable a semi-automated identification of convulsive seizures. The method needs cheap webcams and a computer or a server. Results: Using two murine epilepsy models (Nav1.1 mutations), we have compared our motion analysis software to human visual inspection and found an 88.8% accuracy in convulsive seizures detection. We then compare our method to the gold standard electrocorticogram analysis and found a 93.2% accuracy. The motion analysis is also interesting to get a readout of the animal activity without the invasiveness of electromyogram recordings. Conclusions: This new method is easy to use, cost-effective and allows: 1) detection of convulsive seizures in a noninvasive way, 2) high speed analysis of a large number of video files with a good accuracy, and 3) automated acquisition and semi-automated analysis of a very large number of files.

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“…Briefly, stage 0 indicated no response or behavioral arrest; stage 1 represented chewing or facial movement; stage 2 was characterized by chewing, head nodding, or unilateral forelimb clonus; stage 3 featured bilateral forelimb clonus; stage 4 was associated with rearing behavior; and stage 5 indicated falling over or loss of the righting reflex. Tail erection or Straub tail (Velíšková and Velíšek, 2017) was scored when the tail was elevated ≥90 • perpendicular to the horizontal plane for ≥5 s. Spontaneous motor seizures were assessed independently by seven researchers through video reading as described previously . The concordance rates for recognizing stage 3-5 seizures were ≥90% among these researchers.…”

Section: Srs Detectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Excessive salivation, recognized during seizures in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (Shah et al, 2006) and in extended kindled monkeys and cats (Wada et al, 1975;Hiyoshi et al, 1993), were often observed in association with stage 3, 4, or 5 seizures. Tail erection (Straub tail), a convulsive behavior recognized in other rodent models of epilepsy/seizures (Henshall, 2017;Velíšková and Velíšek, 2017) but underdocumented in extended kindled rats, was frequently observed in association with stage 3-5 motor seizures (87% of cases) but not with stage 1 or 2 motor seizures.…”

Section: Motor Seizure Scoresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Convulsive behaviors of spontaneous recurrent seizures in a mouse model of extended hippocampal kindling

Zahra

Sun²,

Aloysius³

et al. 2022

Front. Behav. Neurosci.

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Growing studies indicate that vigilance states and circadian rhythms can influence seizure occurrence in patients with epilepsy and rodent models of epilepsy. Electrical kindling, referred to brief, repeated stimulations of a limbic structure, is a commonly used model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Kindling via the classic protocol lasting a few weeks does not generally induce spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS), but extended kindling that applies over the course of a few months has shown to induce SRS in several animal species. Kindling-induced SRS in monkeys and cats were observed mainly during resting wakefulness or sleep, but the behavioral activities associated with SRS in rodent models of extended kindling remain unknown. We aimed to add information in this area using a mouse model of extended hippocampal kindling. Middle-aged C57 black mice experienced ≥80 hippocampal stimulations (delivered twice daily) and then underwent continuous 24 h electroencephalography (EEG)-video monitoring for SRS detection. SRS were recognized by EEG discharges and associated motor seizures. The five stages of the modified Racine scale for mice were used to score motor seizure severities. Seizure-preceding behaviors were assessed in a 3 min period prior to seizure onset and categorized as active and inactive. Three main observations emerged from the present analysis. (1) SRS were found to predominantly manifest as generalized (stage 3–5) motor seizures in association with tail erection or Straub tail. (2) SRS occurrences were not significantly altered by the light on/off cycle. (3) Generalized (stage 3–5) motor seizures were mainly preceded by inactive behaviors such as immobility, standing still, or apparent sleep without evident volitional movement. Considering deeper subcortical structures implicated in genesis of tail erection in other seizure models, we postulate that genesis of generalized motor seizures in extended kindled mice may involve deeper subcortical structures. Our present data together with previous findings from post-status epilepticus models support the notion that ambient cage behaviors are strong influencing factors of SRS occurrence in rodent models of temporal lobe epilepsy.

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Behavioral Characterization and Scoring of Seizures in Rodents

Cited by 8 publications

References 89 publications

PTZ-induced seizures in mice require a revised Racine scale

PTZ-induced seizures in mice require a revised Racine scale

A python-based package for long-lasting video acquisition and semi-automated detection of convulsive seizures in rodents

Convulsive behaviors of spontaneous recurrent seizures in a mouse model of extended hippocampal kindling

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