Rearing by foster Wistar mother with high level of maternal care counteracts the development of genetic absence epilepsy and comorbid depression in WAG/Rij rats

Abstract

It has been shown for the first time that rearing by a foster Wistar mother with high level of maternal care (MC) counteracts the expression of genetic absence epilepsy (AE) and comorbid depression – reduces the number, duration and index of spike-wave discharges (SWDs) and immobility time in the forced swimming test, as well as exerts substantial effects on morphology and time-frequency dynamics of SWDs in WAG/Rij rats. It is supposed that increases in MC early in development might be used to counteract epileptogenesis and comorbid depression in people genetically predisposed to AE.