Seizures frequently accompany brain injury. However, the incidence and persistence of post-traumatic seizures depend greatly upon the site and nature of the damage. It is widely accepted that seizures occurring after brain damage are detrimental to recovery because they increase the risk of post-traumatic epilepsy and when severe enough, can cause neuronal damage in and of themselves. Consequently, anticonvulsants are commonly administered in an effort to prevent the occurrence of seizures after brain injury. Yet, only a few clinical studies have systematically investigated the effects of this anti-convulsant prophylaxis on recovery from the behavioral deficits produced by the brain damage. Indeed, the focus of the majority of the studies has been to determine the success with which anti- convulsants prevent pot-traumatic seizures, per se, and not the impact of this procedure on recovery of function. Findings from a recent clinical study, as well as studies using animals, suggest that the use of anti- convulsants following brain damage may not be beneficial for behavioral recovery, and may, indeed, be detrimental. Moreover, there are some data in the animal literature to suggest that mild, infrequent seizures following brain damage may facilitate behavioral recovery. Because of the importance of these issues, whether or not preventing post-traumatic seizures with anti-convulsants is truly beneficial to recovery from behavioral deficits, the following research plan is proposed: (a) systematically determine the effect of experimentally-induced (""""""""kindled"""""""") seizures on recovery of somatosensory function following cortex damage, (b) determine if preventing those seizures with anti-convulsants (including diazepam, phenobarbital and phenytoin) alters this outcome, and (c) determine the impact of each of these manipulations on postsynaptic receptor sensitivity as measured electrophysiologically. Results from these studies should provide information as to the mechanisms by which post-traumatic seizures and anti-convulsant administration affect behavioral recovery and, perhaps, suggest ways to minimize the degree of deficit following brain injury, while at the same time decreasing the likelihood of post-traumatic epilepsy.
