Pharmacological and neuroethological study of the acute and chronic effects of lamotrigine in the genetic audiogenic seizure hamster (GASH:Sal)

•The GASH:Sal is a rodent model of reflex epilepsy.•GASH:Sal is a reliable model to evaluate anticonvulsants and to screen new AEDs.•Lamotrigine is effective through acute/chronic administration in the GASH:Sal model.•Sedation is only seen with high i.p doses, but not with chronic oral administration.

The present study aimed to investigate the behavioral and anticonvulsant effects of lamotrigine (LTG) on the genetic audiogenic seizure hamster (GASH:Sal), an animal model of audiogenic seizure that is in the validation process. To evaluate the efficiency of acute and chronic treatments with LTG, GASH:Sals were treated with LTG either acutely via intraperitoneal injection (5-20 mg/kg) or chronically via oral administration (20-25 mg/kg/day). Their behavior was assessed via neuroethological analysis, and the anticonvulsant effect of LTG was evaluated based on the appearance and the severity of seizures. The results showed that acute administration of LTG exerts an anticonvulsant effect at the lowest dose tested (5 mg/kg) and that chronic oral LTG treatment exerts an anticonvulsant effect at a dose of 20-25 mg/kg/day. Furthermore, LTG treatment induced a low rate of secondary adverse effects.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Genetic and Reflex Epilepsies, Audiogenic Seizures and Strains: From Experimental Models to the Clinic".