title: Kindling of the lateral septum and the amygdala: effects on anxiety in rats.
abstract: Long-term kindling of limbic system structures may produce substantial changes in emotional behavior in rats. This study examined long-term changes in two kindled structures that have opposite effects on anxiety, the lateral septum and the central nucleus of the amygdala. The purpose of the experiment was to examine the specificity of the emotional effects of kindling by employing a double dissociation design. Animals were tested in two common animal models of anxiety, the water-lick conflict test and the elevated plus-maze. In the conflict test amygdala-kindled animals demonstrated a significant anxiolytic effect when compared with sham-kindled animals. This effect was potentiated by chlordiazepoxide. Septally-kindled animals exhibited a significant anticonflict effect when compared to sham-kindled animals in the first session. Septally-kindled animals spent significantly more time on the open arms of the elevated plus-maze than did sham-kindled animals. Observed changes persisted 6weeks after the termination of 150 kindling sessions. The effects of long-term kindling were highly consistent with those of disruption rather than facilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, United States. ethomas@brynmawr.edu
authors.forename: Earl
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gunton
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects; D007696:Kindling, Neurologic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020665:Septum of Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide