Status epilepticus models of epileptogenesis are widely used as a model of acute epileptogenesis following the application of chemical kindling. It becomes a useful model of chronic epileptogenesis with the appearance of spontaneous seizures at a time point distant to the initial convulsive event. This model demonstrates the classical progression of human temporal lobe epilepsy with an initial convulsive event leading to seizures and status epilepticus before a latency period of varying length and appearance spontaneous seizures following this. Advocates of this model point to the presence of a latency period as the period of opportunity, whereby interruption of the epileptogenic process during this time may bring about a stop in the progression of spontaneous seizures. The difficulty lies in measuring the duration of each animal's individual latency period and hence the optimal time point for intervention and study. The duration of latency is known to be related to the convulsant dose with higher doses yielding shorter onset latencies (39) . Current figures suggest a mean onset latency of around 40 days; however, shorter periods have been described (32) . As such, estimates of latency periods used in research studies vary from 8 to 50 days.