Purpose: To assess whether unilateral amygdala seizures are associated with a change in the number and lateral distribution of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)-staining fibers in the ventromedial hypothalamus of female rats.
Methods: The study compared three groups of female rats: (1) amygdala seizures induced by focal injection of kainic acid (KA); (2) saline injected controls; and (3) nai;ve controls. The animals were sacrificed at 4 weeks in the diestrus phase. GnRH fibers were counted in the ventromedial hypothalamus and compared among groups.
Results: GnRH fiber counts were significantly lower in KA than saline and nai;ve animals ipsilaterally but not contralaterally.
Conclusions: This finding may support a potential mechanism by which (1) temporolimbic epilepsy may promote the development of reproductive endocrine disorders and (2) the laterality of the epilepsy may influence the particular nature of the reproductive endocrine disorder.