Rapid kindling in the prepubescent rat.

Bipolar electrodes, stereotaxically implanted in the hippocampus and amygdala of prepubescent rats, were used to deliver 1- or 10-s trains of suprathreshold bipolar stimulations at frequencies of 10 or 60 Hz. The stimuli were administered every 5 min. Rapid kindling was achieved with 10-s but not 1-s stimulation with both 10- and 60-Hz frequencies. Ten-s stimulations with a 60-Hz frequency resulted in more rapid kindling than 10-s stimulations with a 10-Hz frequency. The rate of kindling was similar in the hippocampus and amygdala. In the immature animal rapid kindling can be achieved with electrical stimulations with long duration and short interstimulus intervals.