Influence of pinealectomy on the amygdala kindling development in rats

A considerable number of studies have demonstrated the anticonvulsant effect of melatonin. The present study examines the influence of pinealectomy on the amygdala kindling development in rats. Animals were divided into three groups: Pinealectomized rats (PNT) Sham rats (SHAM) and Control rats (CTL). The mean number of stimulations and the afterdischarge (AD) duration for each stage of kindling were similar among CTL and SHAM animals. Conversely, PNT animals showed particular characteristics during kindling development. They did not present stage I and spent a shorter time in stage 2 in relation to the CTL and SHAM animals. Consequently, the number of stimulations required to reach stage 5 was lower for the PNT group when compared to the CTL and SHAM groups. Besides, a longer AD duration during stage 5 in the PNT group was also observed. The present findings indicate that the pineal gland removal exert a significant influence on amygdala kindling development suggesting that melatonin holds potential interest in experimental therapy for epilepsy. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.