The present investigation tested the hypothesis that multiple withdrawals from chronic ethanol treatment "kindles" seizure activity. Two animal models of kindled seizure activity--electrical stimulation of the inferior collicular cortex or the amygdala--were used to evaluate this hypothesis. Four withdrawals from a 12-day ethanol-liquid diet regimen facilitated the seizure kindling rate in the inferior collicular cortex, when the stimulation was initiated 7 days after the last withdrawal. In contrast, four withdrawals from this chronic ethanol regimen significantly attenuated the rate of amygdaloid kindling. When the withdrawals were increased to six or 10 using a 5-day chronic ethanol treatment schedule, the kindling rate in the inferior collicular cortex proved directly proportional to the withdrawal number. Continuous ethanol exposure over the same period as the 10 withdrawal group also facilitated the inferior collicular kindling rate, but not to the extent found in the 10 withdrawal group. A before, 10 withdrawals from the 5-day chronic ethanol liquid diet treatment attenuated the rate of amygdaloid kindling. Thus, this kindling action of repeated ethanol withdrawals appears specific to seizures originating from the inferior collicular cortex, not the limbic system. These findings support a previous hypothesis for a kindling etiology of alcoholism related seizures.