Effect of a Single Brief Seizure on Subsequent Seizure Susceptibility in the Immature Rat

To determine whether a single seizure permanently affects the brain's susceptibility to further seizures, 27-day-old rats were subjected to a single seizure induced by either an electroshock or the administration of pentylenetetrazol. Three days following the seizure, the rats, along with age- and weight-matched control rats, underwent kindling. The rate of kindling did not differ between the control rats and those rats that had previously experienced a single electroshock or pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure. At the present time, there is no conclusive evidence that a single brief seizure results in permanently increased susceptibility to future convulsions.