Kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures in Sprague-Dawley rats and the effect ofdietary taurine (TAU) supplementation or deficiency

Male Sprague-Dawley rats received TAU supplementation (1.5% in drinking wat er) or TAU deficient diets for 4 weeks to test for a possible neuroprotecti ve role of TAU in KA-induced (10 mg/kg s.c.) seizures. TAU supplementation significantly increased serum and hippocampal TAU levels, but not TAU conte nt in temporal cortex or striatum. TAU deficient diets did not attenuate se rum or tissue TAU levels. Dietary TAU supplementation failed to decrease th e number or latency of partial or clonic-tonic seizures or wet dog shakes, whereas a TAU deficient diet decreased the number of clonic-tonic and parti al seizures. This study does not support previous observations of an antico nvulsant effect of TAU against KA-induced seizures. KA-treatment decreased alpha(2)-adrenergic receptor binding sites and TAU content in the temporal cortex across all dietary treatment groups, supporting previous evidence of severe KA-induced damage and neuronal loss in this brain region.