title: Corticotropin-releasing hormone-induced seizures in infant rats originate in the amygdala.
abstract: The neuroanatomical substrate of seizures induced by picomolar amounts of corticotropin-releasing hormone in infant rats was investigated. Electrographic and behavioral phenomena were monitored in 42 rat pups aged 5 to 22 days. Rat pups carried bipolar electrodes implanted in subcortical limbic structures, as well as cortical electrodes and intracerebroventricular cannulae. The administration of corticotropin-releasing hormone produced age-specific seizures within minutes, which correlated with rhythmic amygdala discharges. Paroxysmal hippocampal and cortical discharges developed subsequently in some rats. Corticotropin-releasing hormone-induced electrographic and behavioral seizures originate in the amygdala.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: T Z
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Baram
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: O C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Snead
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schultz
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D007568:Jaw / Q000503:physiopathology; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior
chemical_list: D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone