Quantifying epileptogenesis in rats with spontaneous and responsive brain state dynamics

Dakota N. Crisp, Warwick Cheung, Stephen V. Gliske, Alan Lai, Dean R. Freestone, David B. Grayden, Mark J. Cook, William C. Stacey

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

There is a crucial need to identify biomarkers of epileptogenesis that will help predict later development of seizures. This work identifies two novel electrophysiological biomarkers that quantify epilepsy progression in a rat model of epileptogenesis. The long-term tetanus toxin rat model was used to show the development and remission of epilepsy over several weeks. We measured the response to periodic electrical stimulation and features of spontaneous seizure dynamics over several weeks. Both biomarkers showed dramatic changes during epileptogenesis. Electrically induced responses began to change several days before seizures began and continued to change until seizures resolved. These changes were consistent across animals and allowed development of an algorithm that could differentiate which animals would later develop epilepsy. Once seizures began, there was a progression of seizure dynamics that closely follows recent theoretical predictions, suggesting that the underlying brain state was changing over time. This research demonstrates that induced electrical responses and seizure onset dynamics are useful biomarkers to quantify dynamical changes in epileptogenesis. These tools hold promise for robust quantification of the underlying epileptogenicity and prediction of later development of seizures.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numberfcaa048
JournalBrain Communications
Volume2
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • biomarker
  • dynamics
  • epileptogenesis
  • evoked responses
  • seizures

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • Biological Psychiatry

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