Absence epilepsy in male and female WAG/Rij rats: A longitudinal EEG analysis of seizure expression.

ABSTRACT: The WAG/Rij strain of rats is commonly used as a preclinical model of genetic absence epilepsy. While widely utilized, the developmental trajectory of absence seizure expression has been only partially described. Moreover, sex differences in this strain have been under-explored. Here, we longitudinally monitored male and female WAG/Rij rats to quantify cortical spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) monthly, from 4 to 10 months of age. In both male and female WAG/Rij rats, absence seizure susceptibility increased with age. In contrast to previous reports, we found a robust and consistent increase in absence epilepsy susceptibility in male WAG/Rij rats in comparison to females across months. The increased absence seizure susceptibility was characterized by increased number and duration of SWDs, a

SUBMITTER: Lazarini-Lopes W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8453043 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature