Kindling effect and sleep organization in cats.

A comparative study of sleep organization was made between seven kindled cats and four controls. Longitudinal observation during 5 h of polygraphic recording continued every day at the beginning, irregularly after kindling, for one year. During kindling installation, REM sleep was gradually reduced after each stimulation. When the kindling phenomenon was established each stimulation triggered a typical generalized convulsion and diminution of REM sleep persisted. REM characteristics such as total amount, duration of episode and frequency decreased after each stimulation. Increase of the awake stage was also observed after each stimulation throughout the kindling procedure. These data are compared with other reports which examine sleep organization after generalized convulsions or temporal lobe epilepsy in animal and man.