The effect of amygdaloid kindling on heart period and heart period variability

Two studies were conducted on rats to assess the effects of amygdaloid kindling on baseline measures of heart period and heart period variance. The results indicate that seizure activity was associated with increased vagal influence on heart period marked by sinus bradycardia and decreased beat-to-beat variability. The resultant bradycardia was enhanced following each seizure and persisted for a. least a one-week period of time. The results are discussed in terms of the role of vagal tone in influencing abnormal cardiac patterns which could result in sudden unexplained death in some epileptic patients. © 1995