Neurotoxicology. 1989 Summer;10(2):229-38.

Oral administration of aspartame is not proconvulsant in rats.

Tilson HA, Thai L, Zhao D, Sobotka TJ, Hong JS.

Laboratory of Molecular and Integrative Neuroscience, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709.

These experiments examined the potential for single or repeated doses of aspartame to exacerbate or facilitate the production of seizures in Fischer-344 rats. In adult animals, 1,000 mg/kg of aspartame given by gavage acutely or over a 14 day period had no significant effect on the rate of kindling induced by stimulation of the prepyriform cortex. A single dose of 1,000 mg/kg of aspartame had no effect on the number of animals developing tonic seizures after electroconvulsive shock, nor did aspartame affect the frequency or duration of seizure activity after pentylenetetrazol. In a second series of studies, young male and female rats were dosed with 1,000 mg/kg of aspartame on day 3-13 or 21-35 of age. Prior exposure to aspartame had no significant effect on the rate of kindling at 90 days of age. These experiments indicate that aspartame does not act a pro-convulsant in rats.