CHARACTERISTICS OF AUDIOGENIC-SEIZURE IND UCED BY MAGNESIUM-DEFICIENCY IN THE MICE

Mice of the OF1, C57BL/6, AKR, C3H/He, DBA/2, BALB/C, B6D2F1 and CBA s trains are susceptible to audiogenic seizures after 40 or 20 days of a cute magnesium deficiency. The duration of the various phases of the a udiogenic seizure response (at 100 dBA) (wild running latency period, convulsions latency period and the clonic and tonic convulsions) among these mice was measured. Using the Kruskall-Wallis test, no differenc e was recorded using these measurements and those obtained for genetic ally audio-susceptible animals. This shows that acute magnesium defici ency-induced audiogenic seizures develop in exactly the same way as in genetically audio-susceptible animals (21-days-ols DBA/2 mice). Lower intensity (60 and 80 dBA) produced only audiogenic seizures in magnes ium deficient mice. Repeated auditory stimulation caused an increase i n the number of lethal seizures. Sound-induced seizures in magnesium d eficient mice provide a sensitive screening test for anti convulsive d rug, and for drugs use in magnesium depletion.