Disordered autonomic function during exposure to moderate heat or exercise in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome.

Disordered autonomic function during exposure to moderate heat or exercise in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome. Neurobiol Dis. 2020 Oct 31;:105154 Authors: Sahai N, Bard AM, Devinsky O, Kalume F Abstract OBJECTIVE: To examine autonomic regulation of core body temperature, heart rate (HR), and breathing rate (BR) in response to moderately elevated ambient temperature or moderate physical exercise in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome (DS). METHODS: We studied video-EEG, ECG, respiration, and temperature in mice with global heterozygous Scn1a knockout (KO) (DS mice), interneuron specific Scn1a KO, and wildtype (WT) mice during exposure to increased environmental temperature and moderate treadmill exercise. RESULTS: Core body temperatures of WT and DS mice were similar during baseline. After 15 mins of heat exposure, the peak value was lower in DS than WT mice. In the following mins of heat exposure, the temperature slowly returned close to baseline level in WT, whereas it remained elevated in DS mice. KO of Scn1a in GABAergic neurons caused similar thermoregulatory deficits in mice. During exercise, the HR increase was less prominent in DS than WT mice. After exercise, the HR was significantly more suppressed in DS. The heart rate variability (HRV) was lower in DS than WT mice during baseline and higher in DS during exercise-recovery periods. SIGNIFICANCE: We found novel abnormalities that expand the spectrum of i...
Source: Neurobiology of Disease - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Neurobiol Dis Source Type: research