Transmission of convulsions in the white rat.

Abstract

Selective breeding was carried out over 6 generations of animals tested for susceptibility to audiogenic seizures by 60 3-min. exposures to a bell stimulus. Animals were separated into High (seizures in over 50% of these exposures), Low (< 50%), Z (0%), and 100% groups. It was found possible in 6 generations to produce a strain having a higher % of convulsions than the original group. It was also found possible to produce a strain having a lower % of non-convulsives than the original group. The results of the observations call into question, however, Maier''s hypothesis that convulsive behavior in the rat is inherited as a Mendelian dominant.