kindling

Kindling is a term with more than one common meaning. In everyday use, it refers to the material used to start a fire: small, dry sticks that catch fire readily and help ignite larger fuel. Kindling is typically arranged with tinder to produce a hot flame that will ignite logs. In fire-making guidance, common forms include twigs, bark strips, or shaved wood, chosen for light weight and high heat concentration.

In neuroscience, kindling is an experimental model of epileptogenesis. Repeated stimulation that is initially insufficient to induce a seizure gradually lowers the brain’s seizure threshold, eventually producing spontaneous or generalized seizures. The stimulation is often electrical and targeted to limbic regions such as the amygdala or hippocampus in animals, or can use chemical convulsants. Once established, the epileptic state can persist beyond the stimulation period, and seizure characteristics may evolve with further stimulation. Kindling is used to study neural plasticity, seizure mechanisms, and to test antiepileptic treatments. It is a research model rather than a complete replica of all human epilepsies, and it raises ethical considerations for animal studies.

Etymology: the term derives from kindle, meaning to light or ignite, extended metaphorically to describe a gradual intensification process.