TY - JOUR
T1 - Single-unit Analysis of Substantia Nigra Pars Reticulata Neurons in Freely Behaving Rats with Genetic Absence Epilepsy
AU - Deransart, Colin
AU - Hellwig, Bernhard
AU - Heupel-Reuter, Miriam
AU - Léger, Jean François
AU - Heck, Detlef
AU - Lücking, Carl Hermann
PY - 2003/12
Y1 - 2003/12
N2 - Purpose: The substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) is assumed to be involved in the control of several kinds of epileptic seizures, an assumption based mostly on neuropharmacologic evidence. However, only very few neurophysiological recordings from the basal ganglia support neuropharmacologic data. We investigated the electrophysiologic activity of SNpr neurons in rats with genetic absence epilepsy. Methods: Electrocorticography (ECoG) and multi-unit recordings using permanently implanted tetrodes were obtained in freely behaving rats. After spike sorting, auto- and cross-correlation analysis was used to detect oscillatory neuronal activities and synchronizations. Results: During interictal periods, neither oscillation nor synchronization could be observed in the firing patterns of SNpr neurons. At the beginning of the absence seizure, the firing rate increased significantly. The SNpr neurons started firing in bursts of action potentials. Bursts were highly correlated to the spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) in the ECoG, mainly after the spike component of the cortical spike-and-wave complex. Moreover, pairs of SNpr neurons tended to fire synchronously. Before the end of the seizure, the firing rate decreased progressively, and the burst-firing pattern ended at or before the end of the SWDs. Once the SWDs had stopped, the SNpr neurons resumed their basal firing pattern as before the seizure onset. Conclusions: These results provide electrophysiologic evidence that firing patterns and synchronization of SNpr neurons are in phase with the occurrence of SWDs. The findings support the concept that nigral control mechanisms are involved in modulating the propagation of an ongoing generalized seizure.
AB - Purpose: The substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) is assumed to be involved in the control of several kinds of epileptic seizures, an assumption based mostly on neuropharmacologic evidence. However, only very few neurophysiological recordings from the basal ganglia support neuropharmacologic data. We investigated the electrophysiologic activity of SNpr neurons in rats with genetic absence epilepsy. Methods: Electrocorticography (ECoG) and multi-unit recordings using permanently implanted tetrodes were obtained in freely behaving rats. After spike sorting, auto- and cross-correlation analysis was used to detect oscillatory neuronal activities and synchronizations. Results: During interictal periods, neither oscillation nor synchronization could be observed in the firing patterns of SNpr neurons. At the beginning of the absence seizure, the firing rate increased significantly. The SNpr neurons started firing in bursts of action potentials. Bursts were highly correlated to the spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) in the ECoG, mainly after the spike component of the cortical spike-and-wave complex. Moreover, pairs of SNpr neurons tended to fire synchronously. Before the end of the seizure, the firing rate decreased progressively, and the burst-firing pattern ended at or before the end of the SWDs. Once the SWDs had stopped, the SNpr neurons resumed their basal firing pattern as before the seizure onset. Conclusions: These results provide electrophysiologic evidence that firing patterns and synchronization of SNpr neurons are in phase with the occurrence of SWDs. The findings support the concept that nigral control mechanisms are involved in modulating the propagation of an ongoing generalized seizure.
KW - Absence epilepsy
KW - Freely moving
KW - Multi-unit recordings
KW - Substantia nigra pars reticulate
KW - Tetrode
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U2 - 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2003.26603.x
DO - 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2003.26603.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 14636321
AN - SCOPUS:0346103741
SN - 0013-9580
VL - 44
SP - 1513
EP - 1520
JO - Epilepsia
JF - Epilepsia
IS - 12
ER -