Effect of housing density on the incidence of audiogenic seizures in DBA/2J mice.

Abstract

Housed 300 dba/2j mice, genetically susceptible to audiogenic seizures, from weaning day 21 until testing day 26 either 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5/cage. Each s within each cage was then individually tested for its seizure response to intense acoustic stimulation. There were no effects on susceptibility to audiogenic seizures in an individual s as a result of immediate prior handling of its cagemates for testing. Increased crowding conditions led to a decrease in the average seizure response. This decrease was accounted for by finding that, on the average, only 1 s/cage manifested a full tonic seizure. Once a seizure onset occurred, the probability of the seizure terminating in the death of the s increased with more crowded conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)