Objective    To study the effect of stress due to mother and infant isolation on spontaneous discharge of pyramidal neurons in hippocampal CA1 and expression of hippocampal GABA

A

receptor α

1

  in infantile rats

and its correlation with susceptibility to epilepsy.     Methods    Infantile rats were randomly divided into normal group

15-min isolation group

and 3-h isolation group. Sixteen days after birth

convulsion was induced in rats with lithium chloridepilocapine. Characteristics of spontaneous discharge of pyramidal neurons in hippocampal CA1 were detected with wholecell patch clamps. Expression of hippocampal GABA

A

receptor α

1

in perfused brain tissue was detected with immunohistochemistry.     Results    The body weight was significantly lower

the susceptibility to convulsion and the excitability of pyramidal neurons in hippocampal CA1 were higher

and the expression level of hippocampal GABA

A

receptor α

1

in brain tissue was lower in 3-h isolation group than in normal group. However

no significant difference was found in the above parameters between 15-min isolation group and normal group.     Conclusion    Stress due to 3-h mother and infant isolation may produce adverse effects on the growth and development

and susceptibility to epilepsy of infantile rats. Increased excitability of pyramidal neurons in hippocampal CA1 and decreased expression of hippocampal GABA

A

receptor α

1 

in brain tissue may be one of the potential mechanisms.