Effects of neonatal seizures on ontogeny of reflexes and behavior. An experimental study in the rat.

18 newborn rats received two electroshock seizures daily for 10 days. Their neurochemical and behavioral development was compared to that of littermates fo the same sex and similar weight, which were either untreated or treated with the same total amount of electrical current at subconvulsive intensities. While the two control groups were behaviorially or neurochemically indistinguishable, experimental rats reached several behavioral milestones (swimming, free-fall righting, auditory startle, visual placing) significantly later than controls and had smaller brains, containing significantly less DNA, protein or cholesterol than either control group. This study demonstrates that in the rat neonatal seizures are followed not only by impaired neurochemical development of the brain but also by delays in the animal's behavioral development.