Epileptic seizure-induced structural and functional changes in rat femur and tibia bone tissues: a Fourier transform infrared imaging study

The disease- and drug- related bone disorders are rapidly increasing in the population. It is previously reported that anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) may cause osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures in epilepsy patients. However, it cannot be determined whether the bone disorders in epileptic patients are due to AED therapy and/or to epilepsy and epileptic seizures. There is no study in the literature which investigates the sole effects of epilepsy and epileptic seizures on bone tissues. The current study provides the first report on determination of the possible effects of epilepsy and epileptic seizures on long bone tissues. Wistar Albino Glaxo/Rijswijk rats, which are accepted as genetic rat models for human absence epilepsy, were compared with the healthy Wistar rats to get information about the sole effects of epilepsy and epileptic seizures on bones. Cortical regions of tibia and femur bones were studied by Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM). According to FTIRM parameters, variation on bone mineral and matrix composition, including decreased mineral content, decreased collagen cross-links, increased carbonate substitution, and larger crystals in epileptic group compared to the healthy one, show severe effects of epilepsy and seizures on bone tissues for the first time. (C) 2013 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)