A BIOMETRIC STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF AMMONIUM ACETATE ON ELECTROSHOCK CONVULSIONS

¹ Department of Physiology, University of California, Berkeley, and Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California

The effects of graded doses of ammonium acetate on susceptibility to convulsions and on electrolyte and water metabolism were studied in rats. Doses of 0.23 to 0.38 mg/g body weight induced a pronounced increase in brain excitabiity as shown by a significant fall in the electroshock seizure threshold (EST). The data were analyzed in terms of a series of transformed scores which are comparable from animal to animal regardless of the original EST, and which indicate the amount of change in EST from one time to another in the same animal. Using these scores an analysis of the EST response was made in terms of treatment (ammonium acetate vs. saline), body weight (heavy vs. light), and the interaction between treatment and body weight. There were no significant weight or interaction effects on EST. Changes in plasma pH and content of water, sodium, potassium, and chloride in plasma and brain were not observed. Blood and brain ammonia levels were elevated above control values following administration of ammonium acetate. Some aspects of the mechanism of action of ammonia on central nervous system activity were discussed.