title: Susceptibility to focal and generalized seizures in Wistar rats with genetic absence-like epilepsy.
abstract: The susceptibility to develop cortically induced focal and generalized seizures was examined in Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg (GAERS), an inbred strain of Wistar rats with absence epilepsy. A GABA-withdrawal syndrome induced after suppression of a 2-h intracortical GABA infusion was used as a model of focal epileptogenesis: localized cortical discharges appear at the infusion site within 1 h. GAERS were more prone to develop a GABA-withdrawal syndrome than non-epileptic inbred controls and non-selected Wistar rats. After a transient suppression of absence seizures following GABA infusion in GAERS, generalized spike-and-wave discharges and focal spikes were recorded simultaneously in the cortex. GAERS also showed a higher incidence of systemic pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions at the dose of 25 mg/kg. Higher doses had similar convulsant effects in all groups. In conclusion, the results confirm a genetic susceptibility in GAERS and/or resistance in inbred non-epileptic rats to focal and generalized seizures involving the cortex. Rats with absence epilepsy appear to be more prone to seizures elicited by cortical GABA deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brailowsky
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Montiel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boehrer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marescaux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vergnes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003292:Convulsants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics*; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000235:genetics*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D008297:Male; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains / Q000235:genetics*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D003292:Convulsants; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole