Background and Objective: Epileptic seizures lead to a problem in learning and memory. In view of the protective effect of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of this substance on impairment of learning and memory in an experimental model of temporal lobe epilepsy in kainate-epileptic rat.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, rats were divided into four groups: sham, positive control, epileptic, and epileptic group receiving the ascorbic acid. Kainic acid was used for induction of epilepsy. Ascorbic acid was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day from one week before surgery. Initial and step through latencies in the passive avoidance test and alternation behavior percentage in Y maze were also determined.
Results: Pretreatment with vitamin C does not significantly decrease seizure behavior compared with epileptic group. Regarding initial latency there was no statistically significant difference between groups. Step through latency in vitamin C pretreated group has no significant change versus epileptic group. Alternation behavior percentage in vitamin C pretreated epileptic group was significantly greater than epileptic group (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Although pretreatment with vitamin C does not affect the ability to store and recall in passive avoidance test, but could cause an improvement in spatial memory.
)