This review focuses on a number of laboratory techniques which can be used complementary to electrophysiology in animal models of temporal lobe epilepsy in order to assess the structural and molecular bases of epileptic syndromes. Immunohistochemistry is used for identifying changes in certain molecules, receptors and neuron subpopulations. Advantages and drawbacks of this method are discussed, mentioning also the limitations of quantitative measurements. The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic inhibitory interneurons control the excitability of cortical networks, therefore emphasis is given to the methods used for identification of these cells and the expression of GABA receptor subtypes. The use of quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-QPCR) in studying GABA(A)-receptor subunit expression is presented in detail. It is underlined the necessity to devise experiments where the behavioral and electrophysiological modifications are studied in parallel with the neuroanatomic, cellular and molecular changes in order to investigate the causal relationship between the altered morphological/laboratory parameters and the clinical symptoms.
Szilágyi T, Orbán-Kis K, Horváth E, Pap Z, Metz J, Pávai Z. Laboratory techniques in multidisciplinary research of epilepsy. Rev Romana Med Lab. 2009;14(1):19-24