Hippocampal kindling and effects of antiepileptic drugs.

The kindling effect of the hippocampus was investigated in rats. The development of behavioral manifestations in hippocampal kindling was similar to that seen in the case of amygdaloid kindling, but many more stimulations were required to evoke behavioral convulsions in the former. The transfer phenomenon from amygdala to hippocampus was evident. There were no differences in effects of drugs on the seizure-discharge and the behavioral convulsions between the amygdaloid and the hippocampal kindled rats. The present results suggest that the amygdala plays an important role in the formation of hippocampal kindling, especially in the manifestation of behavioral changes. The hippocampal kindled rat, as well as amygdaloid kindled rat, is useful animal model for evaluating the antiepileptic effect of various drugs.