An automated drug delivery system for focal epilepsy

Previous studies have demonstrated the ability to stop seizures in animal m odels with injection of antiepileptic medication directly onto the seizure focus. The present experiments describe automated detection and focal thera py for seizures in the laboratory setting. Focal seizures were created in S prague-Dawley rats using bicuculline, a GABA antagonist. Computerized detec tion of seizures was linked to a programmable infusion pump to deliver eith er diazepam (DZP) or pH-balanced vehicle (VEH) directly onto the seizure fo cus. Mean numbers of seizures following initial delivery of drug were 2.9 /- 1.45 for the VEH-treated group and 0.2 +/- 0.42 for the DZP-treated grou p (P < 0.0001, Student's t-test, nonpaired, one-tailed). In another series of experiments, early injection of DZP shortened seizure duration. Three DZ P-treated animals died. This model provides proof-in-principle for the deve lopment of a clinically applicable treatment for intractable partial epilep sy. Such therapy might avoid some of the problems inherent to systemic admi nistration of antiepileptic drugs. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.