title: Audiogenic seizures and the pineal gland.
abstract: The effects of sound stimulation (electric bell, 110 dB) on the pineal glands of adult female rats were studied. Two types of animals were selected: audiogenic (Adg) and nonaudiogenic (Nadg). Unlike the Nadg rats, Adg rats exhibited tonic-clonic seizures in response to stimulation. In Adg rats, after a single seizure, all pinealocyte nuclei were pyknotic and the characteristic lobular organization of the pineal was markedly disrupted, indicating intense glandular stress; however, neither serotonin levels nor its biosynthesis were significantly altered. These results suggest a physiopathological relationship between audiogenic seizures and the pineal gland.
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008550:Melatonin / Q000502:physiology; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D008550:Melatonin