OLFACTORY-BULB KINDLING IN MICE SUSCEPTIBLE AND RESISTANT TO ETHANOL WITHDRAWAL

The relation between kindling and susceptibility to ethanol withdrawal seizures was investigated using withdrawal seizure-prone (WSP) and wi thdrawal seizure-resistant (WSR) mice. These lines were developed by s elective breeding to be prone and resistant, respectively, to handling -induced convulsions after chronic exposure to ethanol. Development of kindled seizures in response to electrical stimulation of the olfacto ry bulb was investigated in mice aged 2 and 8 months with no exposure to ethanol. Older WSP mice kindled more slowly than older WSR mice, re quiring significantly more stimulations to reach the first stage 3 and the first stage 5 seizures. In younger mice, there was no significant difference between the two lines in the rate of kindling. The lower k indling rate in mature WSP mice is in contrast to their higher sensiti vity to handling-induced convulsions on withdrawal from ethanol and ot her agents. This finding suggests that separate genetic factors underl ie these two models of mouse seizures.