Loss of vesicular zinc and appearance of perikaryal zinc after seizures induced by pilocarpine

The condition of status epilepticus induced by systemic administration of k ainic acid (KA) causes an apparent translocation of vesicular zinc from pre synaptic boutons into postsynaptic neurons. The accumulation of zinc in the somata has been identified as a contributing cause of neuronal injury. We show here that another form of status epilepticus, induced by administratio n of the muscarinic agonist pilocarpine, produces changes in zinc that are essentially the same as those produced by the kainic acid-induced seizures. Moreover, neurons that develop zinc staining after pilocarpine seizures ar e the same that shown degenerative changes. This result suggests that the l oss of zinc from presynaptic boutons and the appearance of zinc in postsyna ptic somata may both occur in seizures per se, regardless of etiology. Neur oReport 12:1523-1525 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.