Sensitivity to N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced convulsions is genetically associated with resistance to ethanol withdrawal seizures.

Mice genetically selected to be resistant (withdrawal-seizure resistant, WSR) or prone (withdrawal-seizure prone, WSP) to handling-induced convulsions during ethanol withdrawal were tested for sensitivity to convulsions induced by timed intravenous (i.v.) infusion of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA). WSR mice displayed convulsions at infused doses of NMDA that averaged 20% lower than WSP mice. This result was present in both genetically independent replicates of the WSR and WSP mice and provides strong evidence for an involvement of the NMDA system in the difference in withdrawal seizures present in these lines.