Neonatal seizures in monkeys and rabbits: brain glucose depletion in the face of normoglycemia, prevention by glucose loads.

Sustained convulsive seizures were induced with bicuculline in newborn rabbits and marmoset monkeys. In both species, seizures were predominantly tonic, with generalized polyspikes on the EEG. Brain glucose concentration fell dramatically during seizures in both species, and in many normoglycemic animals reached levels usually associated with severe hypoglycemia, suggesting that glucose transport from blood to brain could not keep pace with glucose utilization. Glucose loads given to rabbits induced hyperglycemia and during seizures maintained brain glucose well above concentrations needed to saturate hexokinase so that glycolytic rates were probably never limited by substrate availability. Blood and brain lactate concentrations rose during seizures but never reached levels considered cytotoxic. These data suggest that epileptic seizures can deplete brain glucose in normoglycemic neonates of several species, including subhuman primates.