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A microwave‐hyperthermia model of febrile convulsions
Author(s) -
Hjeresen Dennis L.,
Guy A. W.,
Petracca F. M.,
Diaz J.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.2250040406
Subject(s) - hyperthermia , febrile seizure , microwave irradiation , febrile convulsions , irradiation , anesthesia , microwave , core temperature , medicine , antipyretic , rectal temperature , chemistry , epilepsy , physics , psychiatry , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics , analgesic
While convulsions associated with fever represent a serious problem in pediatric medicine, conventional animal models of febrile convulsions suffer numerous technical limitations. A microwave‐hyperthermia model that eliminates these problems was tested. Microwave energy was used to increase the core temperature of 13‐ and 17‐day‐old rats, resulting in convulsions similar to febrile convulsions in human infants. Rats were irradiated for 10 min in circularly polarized waveguides at 918 MHz, CW (average SAR = 9.4 W/kg at 13 days and 18.0 W/kg at 17 days as determined by twin‐well calorimetry). Day 17 irradiated rats were less susceptible to convulsions than were day 13 irradiated rats, indicating an age‐dependent decline in susceptibility. Contrary to findings of earlier models using infrared or hot‐oven heating, convulsions induced with microwave hyperthermia impaired neither brain growth nor subsequent performance during behavioral testing. Simultaneous measurement of brain and rectal temperatures during microwave irradiation revealed differential heating rates that favor thermal homeostasis in brain tissue.