Amygdaloid kindling and cerebrospinal cyclic nucleotides

The kindling model of experimental epilepsy is characterized by a persistent seizure pattern and long-lasting seizure susceptibility without associated tissue damage. In order to examine the relationship between CSF cyclic nucleotides and epilepsy, CSF cAMP and cGMP were measured before and after kindling, or after electronically induced seizures. Cyclic AMP and cGMP levels in cisternal CSF decreased significantly 1 week after the amygdaloid kindling. This finding suggests decreased levels of brain cAMP and cGMP in this type of epileptogenesis. A slight increase in CSF cyclic nucleotide concentrations was found after triggering both partial and generalized seizures. There was, however, no difference in increase of cAMP and cGMP levels between partial seizure and generalized convulsion, indicating that differences in intensity of ictal or postictal events cannot be reflected in the CSF cyclic nucleotide concentrations.