Sensitivity to the Anticonvulsant Effects of Ethanol and Pentobarbital in Mouse Lines Genetically Selected for Ethanol Sensitivity

Mouse lines genetically selected for susceptibility [long sleep (LS)] or resistance [short sleep (SS)] to the acute hypnotic effects of ethanol were tested for sensitivity to maximal electroshock seizures. LS mice were slightly more sensitive than SS mice. Ethanol or pentobarbital pretreatment elevated seizure thresholds in both lines. LS and SS mice were approximately equally protected by ethanol, but LS mice were somewhat more protected than SS mice by pentobarbital. These studies do not provide evidence that sensitivity to the anticonvulsant effect of ethanol is mediated by substantially the same genes as those mediating sensitivity to EtOH's hypnotic effects. However, sensitivity to pentobarbital's anticonvulsant effects may be genetically correlated.