Pyriform cortex involvement in kindling

Abstract

Evidence suggests that the pyriform cortex (PC) may play an important role in the genesis, if not the maintenance, of secondarily generalized limbic kindled seizures. For example, it has been shown that the fastest rates of kindling are observed from structures most directly related to the PC, and that the latter develops epileptic burst responses before all other structures, independent of the kindling site. This seizure sensitivity of the PC is reflected additionally in its inevitable loss in the face of protracted seizure, i.e., status epilepticus. In conclusion we briefly review our electrophysiological data from amygdala-pyriform cortex slices which show that the PC and overlying perirhinal cortex (PRC) possess a strong disposition for developing spontaneous rhythmic burst discharges. Further it was observed that the PRC response always led the PC event in control tissue, but rarely in kindled tissue. This suggests a functional change in the relationship between these two areas as a result of amygdala kindling. The significance of this alteration is yet undetermined.