Twenty-four-hour post-seizure inhibition during limbic kindling requires seizure generalization

Abstract

Male Long-Evans rats were kindled by stimulation of the pyriform cortex using an afterdischarge (AD) threshold procedure that triggered one AD every 24 h. AD threshold dropped rapidly as long as the seizures remained localized, reaching an asymptote of 30% of its initial value by the 6th AD. In contrast, AD threshold rose progressively across the first six generalized seizures (i.e. ADs accompanied by forelimb clonus). This elevation in threshold was dependent upon the daily elicitation of a generalized seizure, and the threshold returned to its previous low value after 4 seizure-free days. This indicates that post-seizure inhibition in the pyriform cortex is a transient response produced by generalized seizures and is not related to the relatively permanent changes that underlie kindling.