Seizures, not hippocampal neuronal death, provoke neurogenesis in a mouse rapid electrical amygdala kindling model of seizures

Abstract

PURPOSE: Proliferation of neural precursors adjacent to the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus has been identified in previous epilepsy models. Convincingly demonstrating that seizure activity is the stimulant for neurogenesis, rather than neuronal death or other insults inherent to seizure models, is difficult. To address this we derived a rapid electrical amygdala kindling model in mice known to be resistant to seizure-induced neuronal death as an experimental model of focal seizures and to analyze subsequent neurogenesis. METHODS: Mice were implanted with bipolar electrodes in the left amygdala and given electrical stimulation (3 s, 100 Hz, 1 ms monophasic square wave pulses every 5 ..