SWIMMING BEHAVIOUR CHANGES DURING THE INTERSEIZURE PERIOD OF PICROTOXIN- AND PILOCARPINE-INDUCED CONVULSIONS

Swimming behavior was studied throughout the interseizure period of chronic seizure syndrome of two models — picrotoxin-induced kindling and pilocarpine-induced convulsions. The number of swimming behaviour passive elements as well as their ability to escape out of the water (as the active element of the swimming behaviour) were determined immediately after the seizure, in the middle and at the end of the non-convulsive period. The system of excitatory aminoacids activation was evaluated in the early and mid interseizure period in picrotoxin kindled rats that is replaced by the opioid mechanisms activation. The blockade of NMDA-receptors throughout the whole interseizure period revealed to be leading in the swimming behaviour normalization in pilocarpine-seized rats. The authors conclude about opioid system activity enhancement at the end of the interseizure period in kindled rats and the system of excitatory aminoacids maximal activity in rats with pilocarpine-induced seizures are the patterns of the epileptic system activation.