Bicuculline- and allylglycine-induced epilepsy in developing rats.

The development of bicuculline- and allylglycine-induced epilepsy has been studied in developing rats (6 to 30 days old). The results showed that during the first period of life, in both experimental models, the behavioral modifications were atypical and poorly correlated to corresponding epileptic EEG changes. Successively, a gradual evolution of the electroclinical patterns was observed, with similar characteristics in both bicuculline- and allylglycine-treated animals. Only from the 3rd week did electroclinical patterns similar to those of adult animals and more specific for the type of the convulsant agent appear. These data suggest that during the 1st 2 weeks after birth, the level of global cerebral immaturity, rather than the type of the epileptogenic substance, is the prominent element in the characterization of epileptic manifestations. From the 3rd week, the more advanced level of anatomical, biochemical, and neurophysiologic maturation of the CNS allows a more selective involvement of various cerebral structures with subsequent well defined epileptic features.