Rats were subjected to seizures induced by kainic acid, and the resulting changes in CNS zinc staining were studied with the toluene sulfonamide quinoline fluorescence method. Seizures caused a loss of zinc staining from presynaptic boutons in many limbic and cerebrocortical regions. Simultaneously, the postsynaptic neurons that were degenerating (acidophilic) in those regions as a result of the seizure developed intense fluorescence for zinc. A possible role for zinc in the death of the postsynaptic neurons is suggested.