Abstract
The effects of sodium phenobarbital on (a) behavior reinforced by electrical stimulation of the brain, (b) behavioral seizures, and (c) EEG seizure activity were observed in seven male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rate of response on placebo day, over a 30-min. continuous reinforcement session, was compared to rate of response on drug day; an increase in response on the drug day over the placebo day was called a positive phenobarbital effect and a decrease a negative phenobarbital effect. For some animals the positive phenobarbital effect disappeared when the animal's rate of response was calculated for seizure-free time, i.e., when the time spent in seizure was subtracted from the 30-min. period. For other animals, however, the phenobarbital effect, whether positive or negative, was not directly related to time gained on the drug day compared to the placebo day. A new concept was advanced, that of seizure-proneness, measured by the number and duration of seizures and spike after-discharges. Significant correlations were found for seizure-proneness and phenobarbital effect.
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