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Sound-induced seizures during ethanol withdrawal in mice

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Abstract

An ethanol withdrawal syndrome, consisting of tremors and convulsions, was induced in C57BL/6J mice by feeding them a liquid diet containing 27% of ethanol-derived calories at an environmental temperature of +12 to 13° C for 6 days. Control groups were pair-fed with liquid diets containing isocaloric amounts of sucrose or Laboratory Chow. Seven and 24 h after the beginning of withdrawal, all mice were exposed to bell ringing for 90 sec. This sound induced convulsions in nearly one-half of ethanol-consuming mice at 7 h and in a few mice at 25 h. Only one mouse of the control groups had a convulsion. These findings support the concept that the ethanol withdrawal syndrome is a partially latent state of hyperexcitability of the brain following depression by ethanol.

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Freund, G., Walker, D.W. Sound-induced seizures during ethanol withdrawal in mice. Psychopharmacologia 22, 45–49 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401465

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401465

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