Background: Animal models have suggested that seizures in the developing brain cause less macroscopic structural damage than seizures in adulthood but accumulating evidence shows that recurrent seizures in infants are associated with a high incidence of cognitive deficits. In this study, we determined the effects of recurrent neonatal seizures on cognitive tasks using a set of behavioral paradigms when the animals were in adulthood. 

Methods: Recurrent seizures were induced by injecting rat pups with pilocarpine on postnatal day 2 (P2), P4 and P7. In adulthood (P52-P56), spatial learning was examined by the Morris water maze; activity level was assessed by an open field test; and anxiety was examined by the elevated plus maze.

Results: Compared with controls, rats with recurrent seizures had deficient spatial learning and a greater degree of anxiety.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that recurrent seizures during the neonatal period result in life-long impairment of certain cognition.