The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 2008/08, 108(8):433-434. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2008.108.8.413, type of study: ,ani,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Full text    (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7556/jaoa.2008.108.8.413/html)

Keywords:

animal experiment [68]
brain [108]
cranio-sacral osteopathy [231]
seizures [3]

Abstract:

Rationale: Multiple early-life seizures inhibit the production of newly-diving cells of the hippocampus by possibly enhancing the stress hormone levels associated with the insult. The effect of craniocervical osteopathic manipulative treatment (COMT) on cell proliferation after perinatal seizures is unknown. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that COMT performed on infant rat pups prevents the reduced rate of proliferation induced by recurrent neonatal seizures, possibly by decreasing the seizure-induced corticosteroid stress response. Materials and Methods: Kainic acid (KA) was used (2 mg/kg) to induce seizures in rat pups on postnatal (P) days P9, P10 and P12. COMT was performed for 30 minutes on the occipital region and cervical musculature 1.5 hrs after each seizure. Bromo-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and Ki67 immunohistochemistry was used to track newly dividing progenitors of the hippocampus in control and experimental groups at 48 hrs following the 3rd seizure. Radioimmunoassay was performed to measure circulating plasma corticosteroids from trunk blood. Proliferating cell counts and corticosterone plasma levels were subjected to One-way ANOVA to determine statistical significance. Results: In COMT rat pups, cell proliferation of the hippocampus was not altered compared to age-matched controls. After three neonatal seizures, proliferating cells decreased in number within the dentate gyrus, but this reduction was attenuated in animals with COMT. Elevation of corticosterone plasma levels was also attenuated by approximately 40% after KA with COMT compared to KA alone. Conclusions: Results indicate that COMT does not alter cell proliferation of healthy developing rats, but instead prevents loss of progenitors which is anticipated to allow normal brain development and improve cognitive outcome following early-life seizures. Reduced corticosteroid release after COMT may be responsible for the protective effects.