Low glycemic index diet restrains epileptogenesis in a gender-specific fashion.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether a Low-Glycemic-Index Diet (LGID) administered during the latent pre-epileptic period could prevent or delay the onset of epilepsy in Synapsin II knockout mice.
Results Summary
LGID delayed seizure onset and reduced seizure severity in female SynIIKO mice, with parallel reductions in hippocampal interictal event frequency and spread. The diet increased cortico-hippocampal allopregnanolone levels in females, suggesting a gender-specific mechanism.
Population
Synapsin II knockout (SynIIKO) mice, a model of temporal lobe epilepsy, with a focus on gender-specific effects.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
From gestation and lactation through weaning up to 5 months of age.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
low glycemic index diet (LGID) | decrease | seizure onset | female SynIIKO mice | - | delayed the seizure onset | #1 |
low glycemic index diet (LGID) | decrease | seizures severity | female SynIIKO mice | - | induced a reduction of seizures severity | #2 |
low glycemic index diet (LGID) | decrease | frequency of interictal events | hippocampus of SynIIKO females | - | revealed a reduction of frequency | #3 |
low glycemic index diet (LGID) | decrease | amplitude of interictal events | hippocampus of SynIIKO females | - | revealed a reduction of amplitude | #4 |
low glycemic index diet (LGID) | decrease | duration of interictal events | hippocampus of SynIIKO females | - | revealed a reduction of duration | #5 |
low glycemic index diet (LGID) | decrease | velocity of propagation of interictal events | hippocampus of SynIIKO females | - | revealed a reduction of velocity of propagation | #6 |
low glycemic index diet (LGID) | decrease | spread of interictal events | hippocampus of SynIIKO females | - | revealed a reduction of spread | #7 |
low glycemic index diet (LGID) | increase | cortico-hippocampal allopregnanolone (ALLO) levels | females | - | increased cortico-hippocampal allopregnanolone (ALLO) levels | #8 |
low glycemic index diet (LGID) | no change | ALLO plasma concentrations | either sex | - | was unable to affect ALLO plasma concentrations | #9 |
Dietary restriction, such as low glycemic index diet (LGID), have been successfully used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy. However, if such diet could also counteract antiepileptogenesis is still unclear. Here, we investigated whether the administration of LGID during the latent pre-epileptic period, prevents or delays the appearance of the overt epileptic phenotype. To this aim, we used the Synapsin II knockout (SynIIKO) mouse, a model of temporal lobe epilepsy in which seizures manifest 2-3 months after birth, offering a temporal window in which LGID may affect epileptogenesis. Pregnant SynIIKO mice were fed with either LGID or standard diet during gestation and lactation. Both diets were maintained in weaned mice up to 5 months of age. LGID delayed the seizure onset and induced a reduction of seizures severity only in female SynIIKO mice. In parallel with the epileptic phenotype, high-density multielectrode array recordings revealed a reduction of frequency, amplitude, duration, velocity of propagation and spread of interictal events by LGID in the hippocampus of SynIIKO females, but not mutant males, confirming the gender-specific effect. ELISA-based analysis revealed that LGID increased cortico-hippocampal allopregnanolone (ALLO) levels only in females, while it was unable to affect ALLO plasma concentrations in either sex. The results indicate that the gender-specific interference of LGID with the epileptogenic process can be ascribed to a gender-specific increase in cortical ALLO, a neurosteroid known to strengthen GABAergic transmission. The study highlights the possibility of developing a personalized gender-based therapy for temporal lobe epilepsy.