Caffeine augmentation of electroconvulsive seizures.
Caffeine has been used clinically to increase seizure length in electroconvulsive treatment (ECT). The present study was designed to establish an animal model of caffeine-augmented seizures for further study of mechanisms and effects of pharmacological manipulation of seizure length. Increasing doses of caffeine (0-200 mg/kg, IP) were given before electroconvulsive stimulation (ECS) in rats and resulting seizure lengths were quantified by timing of classical tonic-clonic convulsive movements. With this paradigm, caffeine led to a dose-dependent increase in seizure duration. This proconvulsant action of caffeine was detectable within 1 min after dosing, persisted for at least 230 min and was reversible. The results suggest that seizure length is a practicable measure in pharmacological modification of electroconvulsive seizures. They also suggest that pharmacologically-modified ECS can be modeled effectively in animals.
Francis
A
A
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Stony Brook 11794.
Fochtmann
L
L
D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D004597:Electroshock; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
D002110:Caffeine