Abstract： Objective To observe the influence of status epilepticus (SE) on cognitive function of immature rats and explore the role of hippocampal cAMP/PKA signaling pathway in cognitive function impairment of immature rats. Methods Immature male SD rats were assigned randomly to 2 groups: SE group, induced by intraperitoneal injection of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ, n=16), and normal saline control group (n=16). Learning and memory tests using the Morris water maze and Y-maze were performed 7 d after SE. After testing, alterations of content of cAMP were detected by radioimmunoassay,and the expression of PKA in the hippocampus was examined by immunohistochemistry. Results SE rats exhibited learning and memory deficits in the Morris water maze and Y-maze tests: as compared with those in the controls in Morris water maze, the mean escape latency of searching the platform obviously prolonged and the swimming time in the original platform region significantly shortened in SE rats (P<0.05); as compared with those in the controls in Y maze, the number of standard training times obviously increased and the rate of retention of memory significantly decreased in SE rats (P<0.05). At the same time, the cAMP content in hippocampus of SE rats ([147.25±16.83] pmol/g) was significantly lower as compared with that in controls ([280.38±22.66] pmol/g), and the expression of PKA in the CA3 and CA1 areas within hippocampal area of SE rats was obviously decreased as compared with that in controls (P<0.05). Conclusion SE could result in learning and memory deficits in immature rats, which may be related to the impairment of hippocampal cAMP/PKA signaling pathway.