We examined the effects of conventional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on absence-like seizures in homozygous tremor rats (tm/tm) to determine if they corresponded pharmacologically to human absence seizures and absence-like seizures in spontaneously epileptic rats (SER: zi/zi, tm/tm) with both tonic convulsive and absence-like seizures. Cortical and hippocampal EEG activity was recorded with chronically implanted electrodes. The effects of AEDS on seizures of the tremor rat showed profiles similar to those observed in human absence seizures and also in absence-like seizures of SER. The absence-like seizures, associated with paroxysmal bursts of 5-7-Hz spike-wave complexes, were inhibited by trimethadione (TMO 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally, i.p.), ethosuximide (ESM 100 and 200 mg/kg, i.p.), valproate (VPA 100 mg/kg, i.p.), and phenobarbital (PB 10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.). Phenytoin (PHT 20 mg/kg, i.p.) was ineffective. These results are consistent with the conclusion that the tremor rat is a useful model for evaluating new AEDS for human absence seizures.