Increased susceptibility to kainate-induced seizures in a mouse model of tuberous sclerosis complex: Importance of sex and circadian cycle.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder. It causes brain lesions and is linked to epilepsy, intellectual disability, and autism. We wanted to investigate epilepsy in this model. We found that these mice have more induced seizures than control animals. Our results show that these mice can be used in future epilepsy research for this disorder. We also found that sex and time of day can influence the results. This must be considered in this type of research.