Postictal Alteration of Sodium Content and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient in Epileptic Rat Brain Induced by Kainic Acid

Abstract

The increase in MR visible sodium, associated with the decrease in ADC is consistent with the hypothesis that sequential seizures caused an increase in sodium influx and perturbation of membrane ion homeostasis, which eventually evolved into an irreversible phase of cellular edema, with increased MR visible intracellular sodium and decreased ADC. Return of ADC to near-control level and persistent high sodium level at 7 days may be explained by the increase in extracellular space and tissue necrosis.