Arginine vasopressin in the pathogenesis of febrile convulsion and temporal lobe epilepsy

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the possible convulsant action of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in both a febrile convulsion model in rat pups and a temporal lobe epilepsy model in adult rats and to define the receptor type which mediates this effect. In rat pups, 125 ng V-2 receptor antagonist significantly prevented hyperthermic seizures, but did not affect seizure latency. In adult rats, the only effective dose and agent was 125 ng V-2 receptor antagonist, which prevented pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus, extended the status epilepticus latency and improved the 24 h survival rate. These data suggest that AVP has a convulsant activity in febrile convulsions and also in seizures independent of fever, and this effect is mediated by V-2 receptors.