Work

Consequences of housing conditions and interindividual diversity in rodent models of acquired epilepsy

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: In an elegant study, Manouze et al 1 report that single housing of pilocarpine-treated male outbred rats and mice resulted in social deprivation and a more severe epilepsy phenotype, with increased seizure frequency and increased severity of comorbid behavioral alterations compared to group-housed animals or animals that had daily social contacts with an experimenter.The authors conclude that social isolation is an important factor that needs to be considered in data interpretation in preclinical epilepsy research.In a commentary 2 by the senior author, Christophe Bernard, in this issue of Epilepsia, Dr Bernard extends the discussion of the data presented by Manouze et al 1 by suggesting that single housing may complicate data interpretation of preclinical studies on epilepsy models.Furthermore, he points to an additional factor, interindividual diversity, which is often disregarded in preclinical studies using mice or rats.I absolutely agree with those suggestions, but would like to extend the discussion, which is quite important for translational scientists, with several thoughts.

Source: Epilepsia

DOI: 10.1111/epi.16344

Author: Wolfgang Löscher

Institution: University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation

Language: English

Topic: Epilepsy research and treatment

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,000