AMYGDALA KINDLING IN RATS WITH BRAIN-STEM BISECTION

The effect of midsagittal bisection of the brainstem (the midbrain to the pens) on amygdala (AM) kindling at the primary and the secondary sites was examined in rats. It was found that the kindling rate was not affected at either primary or secondary sites regardless of the extent of bisection. However, seizure progression beyond stage 4 bilateral clonus did not occur with extensive dorsal bisection. The findings suggest that the dorsal midline brainstem structure bisected in this study participates in the mechanism of stage 5 seizure but is not involved in the transhemispheric positive transfer mechanism in rodent AM kindling.