The incidence of electroshock and pentylenetetrazole (metrazcl) induced convulsions in hypoglycaemic and acute and chronic hyperglycaemic states in mice

Abstract

Mice made hypoglycaemic by insulin, acutely hyperglycaemic by diazoxide and 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AMN) and chronically hyperglycaemic by streptozotocin and alloxan were examined for their susceptibility to electroshock and Metrazol induced seizures. Insulin was found to lower the electro and chemoshock thresholds in mice. Acute hyperglycaemic episodes induced by diazoxide and 6-AMN caused no change in either electro or chemoshock induced seizure thresholds. Conversely, chronic hyperglycaemic states resulting from streptozotocin and alloxan pretreatment, significantly reduced the incidence of electroshock or Metrazol induced convulsions in diabetic mice as compared to controls. The relevance of the experimental findings to the clinical occurrence of seizures in nonketotic hyperglycaemic states but not in ketoacidotic hyperglycaemia is discussed.