Effects of age on seizure susceptibility in genetically epilepsy-prone rats (GEPR-9s).

To study the effect of age on seizure latency, intensity, reproducibility, and mortality in genetically epilepsy-prone rats of the severe colony (GEPR-9s), 472 seizure-naive rats, ranging in age from 14 to 65 days, received a series of three audiogenic stimulations. Both the percentage of rats having one or more seizures and the percentage of seizures that were stage 9 generally increased with advancing age of the animal at the time of the first stimulation. Mean latency to seizure onset decreased while seizure intensity increased with increasing age of the animal. Reproducibility of seizure stage also increased with advancing age of the animal. The effects of senescence on seizure susceptibility were also investigated in an additional 18 prepubescent rats (25-35 days) who received three audiogenic stimulations and were tested again between the ages of 480 and 540 days with identical testing procedures. No significant changes occurred with either latency to seizure onset or seizure intensity in rats tested during prepubescence and again at senescence. Although GEPR-9s provide an excellent model of inherited seizures, latency to seizure onset, seizure intensity, and seizure reproducibility is dependent on age of the animal. Once established, however, audiogenic-induced seizures persist throughout life.