Audiogenic Epilepsy and Structural Features of Superior Colliculus in KM Rats

Using immunoblotting, we showed that in rats of audiogenic epilepsy (AE) prone strain (Krushinsky- Molodkina, KM) the superior colliculus tissue (SC) contains significantly less quantity of glial neurotrophic factor (GDNF), beta-tubulin and actin in comparison to the same brain region in “0” rats, nonprone to AE. This fact led to the suggestion that the histological structure of the SC in KM rats could differ significantly from that of the “0” strain. Using neuromorphologу technique, we demonstrated that the total number of SC cells, as well as the number of neurons were significantly less in KM rats than in the “0” strain rats. Particularly strong differences were found in the deep layers of SC, the area of terminals from IC. Further studies of the midbrain structures, will help to identify the novel aspects of neural networks, involved in the genesis of AE in rats of KM strain.