CAFFEINE AUGMENTATION OF ELECTROCONVULSIVE SEIZURES

Caffeine has been used clinically to increase seizure length in electr oconvulsive treatment (ECT). The present study was designed to establi sh an animal model of caffeine-augmented seizures for further study of mechanisms and effects of pharmacological manipulation of seizure len gth. Increasing doses of caffeine (0-200 mg/kg, IP) were given before electroconvulsive stimulation (ECS) in rats and resulting seizure leng ths were quantified by timing of classical tonic-clonic convulsive mov ements. With this paradigm, caffeine led to a dose-dependent increase in seizure duration. This proconvulsant action of caffeine was detecta ble within 1 min after dosing, persisted for at least 230 min and was reversible. The results suggest that seizure length is a practicable m easure in pharmacological modification of electroconvulsive seizures. They also suggest that pharmacologically-modified ECS can be modeled e ffectively in animals.