Ethanol's antiseizure efficacy is reduced by stress.

The ability of ethanol to antagonize the electrical precipitation of seizures in an incremental electroconvulsive shock paradigm was examined in groups of stressed and control mice. In stressed mice, the dose-response curve for ethanol's antiseizure efficacy was down-shifted and right-shifted relative to controls. These data may have clinical implications with respect to the interaction between stress, ethanol, and proneness to seizures.