Abstract
In order to gain further insight into the relationships between the limbic system and cerebral excitability, the threshold for flurothyl-induced seizures was determined in rats with lesions in various parts of the limbic system. Bilateral damage to the dorsal hippocampus resulted in a markedly lower threshold for convulsions. Bilateral lesions of either the amygdala, lateral septal nuclei or olfactory tubercles resulted in some lowering of threshold, but the effects were not statistically significant. Combined lesions of the amygdala, hippocampus and lateral septal nuclei resulted in effects comparable to those produced by hippocampal damage alone. The addition of olfactory lesions to the above combination potentiated the decrease in seizure threshold. The decreases in seizure thresholds took more than one week to develop. An increased susceptibility to the anticonvulsant effects of ethosuximide was seen after damage to the hippocampus, lateral septal nuclei or olfactory tubercles, but not after amygdaloid lesions.
It can be concluded that marked changes in cerebral excitability, as determined by increased seizure susceptibility, occur following certain single and multiple lesions of the limbic system.
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This study was supported by Grant MH 05173 from the National Institute of Mental Health, the General Research Support Grant to Temple University School of Medicine and a grant from Temple University.
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Adler, M.W. The effect of single and multiple lesions of the limbic system on cerebral excitability. Psychopharmacologia 24, 218–230 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403641
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403641