Whisker trimming during infanthood modifies the development of spike-wave discharges and behavioral sequences in IntelliCage impulsivity paradigm in adult WAG/Rij rats.

Whisker system in rats undergoes rapid development during the first postnatal weeks. Neonatal whisker trimming increases excitability in the somatosensory cortex and affects exploratory behavior at adult ages. WAG/Rij rats are genetically predisposed to develop absence seizures in adulthood, and whisker trimming during three postnatal weeks aggravates epileptic activity in these rats.