Effect of destruction of dentate granule cells on kindling induced by stimulation of the perforant path

Bilateral destruction of dentate granule cells in both the dorsal and ventral hippocampal formation had no effect on the threshold for hippocampal afterdischarge before or after kindling. Neither did it affect the number of stimulations required to attain kindling. However, the duration of afterdischarge was significantly longer in colchicine-lesioned animals compared to those receiving artificial cerebrospinal fluid. This was true for the threshold for afterdischarge as well as at the first and last kindling trials. These results suggest that dentate granule cells may inhibit the duration of afterdischarge induced by perforant path stimulation or that other postlesion changes occur which result in a prolongation of hippocampal afterdischarge.