A simple device for recording seizure activity in rats.
Experimental research on epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs in rodents utilizes different models (e.g., chemical, electrical or genetic) which have different end points for evaluating seizure activity. To overcome the possibility of observer bias and the limitation of nonavailability of a hard copy of seizure activity, a simple method is described. A horizontal perspex platform is mounted on four springs of suitable tension inside a perspex chamber. A force transducer is attached to the platform to record seizure activity on paper by a physiograph. Using this assembly, the incidence, latency and duration of different seizure components, i.e., myoclonic jerks and generalized clonic seizures, after pentyleneterrazole administration (60 mg/kg i.p.) in rats were recorded. The effects of pretreatment with anticonvulsant doses of diazepam (4 mg/kg i.p.) and sodium valproate (300 mg/kg i.p.) were studied. Chemical kindling was induced by repeated, alternate-day injections of a subconvulsant dose of pentylenetetrazole (30 mg/kg i.p.) for 10 weeks and seizure activity during different stages of development of kindling was recorded. The described method not only successfully records the different seizure components but also quantifies the latency and duration of seizure activity.
Malhotra
J
J
Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Velpandian
T
T
Gupta
Y K
YK
D000818:Animals; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology*