Effect of pinealectomy on cortically kindled rats.

Cortical kindling in pinealectomized rats was studied to observe the effect of pinealectomy on local afterdischarge thresholds and seizure development. Although the local afterdischarge thresholds were not affected by pinealectomy, the kindling process itself was hastened. These results suggest that the anticonvulsive function of the pineal body is due not to a decrease in local afterdischarge thresholds, but to retardation of secondary generalization.