Brain amino acid levels are related to seizure propensity in the gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus).

1. Gerbils were scored for seizure severity and duration and ambulatory and rearing behaviours on presentation with an "open field". 2. Eight seizure-prone (SP) and eight non-seizure-prone (NSP) gerbils were killed and their brains treated to inactivate enzymes before division into corticate and decorticate regions for amino acid analysis. 3. SP animals showed more ambulatory activity on later presentations (trials 3-5) with the open field compared to NSP animals. 4. Statistics showed seizure propensity related to high levels of glutamine and arginine and to low levels of glutamate, aspartate, citrulline, cysteine and glycine. 5. These results suggest aspects of glucose and/or amino acid metabolism may be responsible for behavioural differences in SP compared to NSP gerbils.