title: Ethosuximide Reduces Mortality and Seizure Severity in Response to Pentylenetetrazole Treatment During Ethanol Withdrawal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We recently demonstrated that T-type calcium channels are affected by alcohol abuse and withdrawal. Treatment with ethosuximide, an antiepileptic drug that blocks T-type calcium channels, reduces seizure activity induced by intermittent ethanol exposures and withdrawals. Here, we expand on these findings to test whether ethosuximide can reduce the sensitivity to pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures during ethanol withdrawal.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used an intermittent ethanol exposure model to produce withdrawal-induced hyperexcitability in DBA/2J mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ethosuximide (250 mg/kg) reduced seizure severity in mice undergoing ethanol withdrawal with concurrent PTZ treatment (20 mg/kg). Importantly, ethosuximide did not produce rebound excitability and protected against ethanol withdrawal-induced mortality produced by concurrent PTZ treatment (40 mg/kg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results, in addition to previous preclinical findings, suggest that ethosuximide should be further evaluated as a safe, effective alternative to benzodiazepines for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal.
authors: Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors: Melissa A
authors: MA
authors: Riegle
authors: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors: Melissa L
authors: ML
authors: Masicampo
authors: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors: Hong Qu
authors: HQ
authors: Shan
authors: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors: Victoria
authors: V
authors: Xu
authors: Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA dgodwin@wakehealth.edu.
authors: Dwayne W
authors: DW
authors: Godwin
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005013:Ethosuximide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000633:toxicity*; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D005013:Ethosuximide; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole