Pentylenetetrazole kindling impairs long-term memory in rats.

The effect of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) kindling on learning and retention in active (shuttle-box) and passive (step-down) avoidance was studied in rats. PTZ kindling did not impair learning and significantly disturbed long-term memory estimated from retention tests, i.e. PTZ kindling induced a retrograde amnesia in the active and passive avoidance situations. The present results support the view that memory deficit is an integral part of epilepsy.