ELEVATED CONCENTRATION OF GLYCOGEN IN COBALT-INDUCED EPILEPTOGENIC FOCUS

Changes in the concentration of glycogen in various areas of the brain of epileptic rats were investigated. Epilepsy was induced by implanta tion of cobalt discs on the right sensory motor cortex and epileptic a nimals have shown clear tonic-clonic jerks of the contra-lateral fore and hind limbs. It was found that glycogen concentration was increased by 29% in the epileptogenic sensory motor cortex as compared to the s ame area in the contra-lateral hemisphere. Glycogen concentration in o ther areas within the same hemisphere remained unaffected. Implantatio n of nickel or copper on the same sensory motor cortex, which did not cause the typical limb jerks of epilepsy, had no effect on glycogen co ncentration in the same treated areas. Assay of relevant metabolites i n the epileptic cortex showed an increase in the concentration of pyru vate and glucose-6-phosphate, by 218% and 112% respectively. The resul ts suggest that the increased glycogen concentration in epileptogenic focus results from increased uptake of glucose due to neuronal hyperex citability.