Relationship between spike-wave discharges and vigilance levels in rats with spontaneous petit mal-like epilepsy.
The relationship between states of vigilance and spike and wave discharges (SWD) was examined during 12 hours in 4 Wistar rats from a strain bred for spontaneous generalized non-convulsant seizures. On the basis of cortical and hippocampal EEG and EMG activity, wakefulness (W), slow wave sleep (SWS) and paradoxical sleep (REM) were distinguished. Of the SWD 86% occurred during quiet W, 14% during the first minutes of SWS. No SWD occurred during active wakefulness and they were exceptional during REM. These results show that the states of quiet W and transitional states favour the SWD in rats with petit mal-like epilepsy, as in human petit mal.
Lannes
B
B
Clinique Neurologique, Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg, France.
Micheletti
G
G
Vergnes
M
M
Marescaux
C
C
Depaulis
A
A
Warter
J M
JM
D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology