OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine whether the functional state of neurons is affected by the duration of the induced cellular edema and by the age of animals tested. The cellular edema was induced by water intoxication and neuronal functions were tested by the standard method of electrical stimulation of neurons of the cerebral cortex. METHODS: water intoxication was induced by standard method of fractionated hyperhydration. Excitability of cortical neurons was tested by cortical stimulation with the intensity required to induce cortical afterdischarge (AD). Animals were divided into three experimental groups (B, C, D) and three control groups (AB, AC, AD). Experimental groups differed in age of water intoxication (12 or 25 days) and age of excitability testing (25 or 35 days). Changes in the duration of AD (seconds) were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: Duration of cortical afterdischarges (AD) in the control groups was at the level literature data. In all experimental groups (B, C, D), excitability of cortical neurons was markedly inhibited. AD was possible to induce only in some of the animals and its average duration was significantly shorter than in control groups. CONCLUSION: This inhibitory effect can be explained by persistent impairment of astrocyte-to-neuron communication, which plays a key role in the process of formation of structural and functional changes during cellular edema. Some of the functional manifestations of the developing edema are influenced by the age of experimental animals. At least some events of this process are not influenced by the age of experimental animals.

Institute of Physiology 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague Prague Czech Republic