The Kindling Model of Epilepsy

The term “kindling” is a particularly apt metaphor when used to describe the phenomenon discussed in this chapter. In a manner similar to that in which small burning twigs ultimately produce a large fire, repeated subconvulsive stimulation of the brain by electrical current or pharmacological agents produces seizure behavior of gradually increasing intensity that culminates in a full, clonic, motor seizure. This phenomenon has been the object of considerable study during the past 20 years, and the number of publications related to kindling has increased dramatically (Corcoran, 1989 ). Despite efforts to understand kindling and the many parameters that have been explored, the mechanism underlying the phenomenon remains elusive.