Contribution of protease-activated receptor 1 in status epilepticus-induced epileptogenesis

Leukocyte differential gene expression prognostic value for high versus low seizure frequency in temporal lobe epilepsy

BACKGROUND

This study was performed to test the hypothesis that systemic leukocyte gene expression has prognostic value differentiating low from high seizure frequency refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

METHODS

A consecutive series of patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy was studied. Based on a median baseline seizure frequency of 2.0 seizures per month, low versus high seizure frequency was defined as ≤ 2 seizures/month and > 2 seizures/month, respectively. Systemic leukocyte gene expression was analyzed for prognostic value for TLE seizure frequency. All differentially expressed genes were analyzed, with Ingenuity® Pathway Analysis (IPA®) and Reactome, to identify leukocyte gene expression and biological pathways with prognostic value for seizure frequency.

RESULTS

There were ten males and six females with a mean age of 39.4 years (range: 16 to 62 years, standard error of mean: 3.6 years). There were five patients in the high and eleven patients in the low seizure frequency cohorts, respectively. Based on a threshold of twofold change (p < 0.001, FC > 2.0, FDR < 0.05) and expression within at least two pathways from both Reactome and Ingenuity® Pathway Analysis (IPA®), 13 differentially expressed leukocyte genes were identified which were all over-expressed in the low when compared to the high seizure frequency groups, including NCF2, HMOX1, RHOB, FCGR2A, PRKCD, RAC2, TLR1, CHP1, TNFRSF1A, IFNGR1, LYN, MYD88, and CASP1. Similar analysis identified four differentially expressed genes which were all over-expressed in the high when compared to the low seizure frequency groups, including AK1, F2R, GNB5, and TYMS.

CONCLUSIONS

Low and high seizure frequency TLE are predicted by the respective upregulation and downregulation of specific leukocyte genes involved in canonical pathways of neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) inhibition, and AMPA and NMDA receptor signaling. Furthermore, high seizure frequency-TLE is distinguished prognostically from low seizure frequency-TLE by differentially increased specific leukocyte gene expression involved in GABA inhibition and NMDA receptor signaling. High and low seizure frequency patients appear to represent two mechanistically different forms of temporal lobe epilepsy based on leukocyte gene expression.

The role of thrombin in early-onset seizures

A variety of clinical observations and studies in animal models of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) reveal dysfunction of blood-brain barrier (BBB) during seizures. It is accompanied by shifts in ionic composition, imbalance in transmitters and metabolic products, extravasation of blood plasma proteins in the interstitial fluid, causing further abnormal neuronal activity. A significant amount of blood components capable of causing seizures get through the BBB due to its disruption. And only thrombin has been demonstrated to generate early-onset seizures. Using the whole-cell recordings from the single hippocampal neurons we recently showed the induction of epileptiform firing activity immediately after the addition of thrombin to the blood plasma ionic media. In the present work, we mimic some effects of BBB disruption in vitro to examine the effect of modified blood plasma artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) on the excitability of hippocampal neurons and the role of serum protein thrombin in seizure susceptibility. Comparative analysis of model conditions simulating BBB dysfunction was performed using the lithium-pilocarpine model of TLE, which most clearly reflects the BBB disruption in the acute stage. Our results demonstrate the particular role of thrombin in seizure-onset in conditions of BBB disruption.

Cadherins and the pathogenesis of epilepsy

Epilepsy is a nervous system disease caused by abnormal discharge of brain neurons, which is characterized by recurrent seizures. The factors that induce epilepsy include genetic and environmental factors. Genetic factors are important pathogenic factors of epilepsy, such as epilepsy caused by protocadherin-19 (PCDH-19) mutation, which is an X-linked genetic disease. It is more common in female heterozygotes, which are caused by mutations in the PCDH-19 gene. Epilepsy caused by environmental factors is mainly caused by brain injury, which is commonly caused by brain tumors, brain surgery, or trauma to the brain. In addition, the pathogenesis of epilepsy is closely related to abnormalities in some signaling pathways. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is considered a new target for the treatment of epilepsy. This review summarizes these factors inducing epilepsy and the research hypotheses regarding the pathogenesis of epilepsy. The focus of this review centers on cadherins and the pathogenesis of epilepsy. We analyzed the pathogenesis of epilepsy induced by N-cadherin and PCDH-19 in the cadherin family members. Finally, we expect that in the future, new breakthroughs will be made in the study of the pathogenesis and mechanism of epilepsy at the cellular and molecular levels.

Neurocoagulation from a Mechanistic Point of View in the Central Nervous System

Coagulation mechanisms are critical for maintaining homeostasis in the central nervous system (CNS). Thrombin, an important player of the coagulation cascade, activates protease activator receptors (PARs), members of the G-protein coupled receptor family. PAR1 is located on neurons and glia. Following thrombin activation, PAR1 signals through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway, causing alterations in neuronal glutamate release and astrocytic morphological changes. Similarly, the anticoagulation factor activated protein C (aPC) can cleave PAR1, following interaction with the endothelial protein C receptor. Both thrombin and aPC are expressed on endothelial cells and pericytes in the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Thrombin-induced PAR1 activation increases cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration in brain vessels, resulting in nitric oxide release and increasing F-actin stress fibers, damaging BBB integrity. aPC also induces PAR1 activation and preserves BBB vascular integrity via coupling to sphingosine 1 phosphate receptors. Thrombin-induced PAR1 overactivation and BBB disruption are evident in CNS pathologies. During epileptic seizures, BBB disruption promotes thrombin penetration. Thrombin induces PAR1 activation and potentiates N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, inducing glutamate-mediated hyperexcitability. Specific PAR1 inhibition decreases status epilepticus severity in vivo. In stroke, the elevation of brain thrombin levels further compromises BBB integrity, with direct parenchymal damage, while systemic factor Xa inhibition improves neurological outcomes. In multiple sclerosis (MS), brain thrombin inhibitory capacity correlates with clinical presentation. Both thrombin inhibition by hirudin and the use of recombinant aPC improve disease severity in an MS animal model. This review presents the mechanisms underlying the effects of coagulation on the physiology and pathophysiology of the CNS.

Pathogenesis of seizures and epilepsy after stroke

Stroke is the most frequent cause of secondary epilepsy in the elderly. The incidence of cerebral stroke is increasing with the extension of life expectancy, and the prevalence of post-stroke epilepsy (PSE) is rising. There are various seizure types after stroke, and the occurrence of epilepsy is closely related to the type and location of stroke. Moreover, the clinical treatment of post-stroke epilepsy is difficult, which increases the risk of disability and death, and affects the prognosis and quality of life of patients. Now seizure and epilepsy after stroke is more and more get the attention of the medical profession, has been more and more researchers have devoted to seizures after stroke and PSE clinical and basic research, and hope to get a scientific and unified guideline, to give timely and effective treatment, but the exact pathophysiologic mechanism has not yet formed a unified conclusion. It has been found that ion channels, neurotransmitters, proliferation of glial cells, genetics and other factors are involved in the occurrence and development of PSE. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis of early-onset epileptic seizures and late-onset epilepsy after stroke, in order to provide a basis for clinicians to understand the disease, and expect to provide ideas for future exploration.

Inhibition of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) ameliorates cognitive performance and synaptic plasticity impairments in animal model of Alzheimer's diseases

INTRODUCTION

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive brain disorder accompanied with synaptic failures and decline in cognitive and learning processes. Protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) is the major thrombin receptor in the brain that is implicated in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. In the current study, we hypothesized that inhibition of PAR1 would theoretically prevent amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation in the brain and then contribute to reduce risk of AD. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of PAR1 inhibition by using SCH (as an inhibitor of PAR1) on spatial learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

METHODS

For the induction of Alzheimer's disease, amyloid beta (Aβ) 1-42 was injected in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. The rats were divided into four groups: group I (surgical sham); group II rat mode of Alzheimer's disease (AD); group III (SCH) (25 μg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p.), and group IV (AD + SCH). After 14 days of protocol, the rats in group III received SCH and 30 min after injection behavioral and electrophysiological tests were performed. Learning and memory ability was assessed by Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests. Extracellular evoked field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) were recorded in the stratum radiatum of the CA1 area.

RESULTS

Our results showed that AD rats showed impairments in learning and memory, and long-term potentiation (LTP) was not induced in these rats. However, injection of SCH overcame the AD-induced impairment in LTP generation in the CA1 area of the hippocampus and improved learning and memory impairment.

Targeting prostaglandin receptor EP2 for adjunctive treatment of status epilepticus

Status epilepticus (SE) is an emergency condition that can cause permanent brain damage or even death when generalized convulsive seizures last longer than 30 min. Controlling the escalation and propagation of seizures quickly and properly is crucial to the prevention of irreversible neuronal death and the associated morbidity. However, SE often becomes refractory to current anticonvulsant medications, which primarily act on ion channels and commonly impose undesired effects. Identifying new molecular targets for SE might lead to adjunctive treatments that can be delivered even when SE is well established. Recent preclinical studies suggest that prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) is an essential inflammatory mediator for the brain injury and morbidity following prolonged seizures via activating four G protein-coupled receptors, namely, EP1-EP4. Given that EP2 receptor activation has been identified as a common culprit in several inflammation-associated neurological conditions, such as strokes and neurodegenerative diseases, selective small-molecule antagonists targeting EP2 have been recently developed and utilized to suppress PGE₂-mediated neuroinflammation. Transient inhibition of the EP2 receptor by these bioavailable and brain-permeable antagonists consistently showed marked anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in several rodent models of SE yet had no noticeable effect on seizures per se. This review provides overviews and perspectives of the EP2 receptor as an emerging target for adjunctive treatment, together with the current first-line anti-seizure drugs, to prevent acute brain inflammation and damage following SE.

Systemic thrombin inhibition ameliorates seizures in a mouse model of pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus

Status epilepticus (SE) is a life-threatening condition characterized by ongoing seizure activity which can lead to severe brain damage and death if not treated properly. Recent work suggests that alterations in blood-brain barrier (BBB) function and subsequent cortical exposure to coagulation factors may initiate, promote, and/or sustain SE. This suggestion is based on the observation that the serine protease thrombin, which plays a fundamental role in the blood coagulation cascade, increases neural excitability through the activation of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1). However, it remains unclear whether systemic inhibition of thrombin asserts "anti-epileptic" effects in vivo. We here used the pilocarpine model of SE in adult 3-month-old male mice to address the question whether intraperitoneal injection of the thrombin inhibitor α-NAPAP (0.75 mg/kg) counters SE. Indeed, pharmacological inhibition of thrombin ameliorates the behavioral outcome of pilocarpine-induced SE. Similar results are obtained when the thrombin receptor PAR1 is pharmacologically blocked using intraperitoneal injection of SCH79797 (25 μg/kg) prior to SE induction. Consistent with these results, an increase in thrombin immunofluorescence is detected in the hippocampus of pilocarpine-treated animals. Moreover, increased hippocampal serine protease activity is detected 90 min after SE induction, which is not observed in animals treated with α-NAPAP prior to SE induction. Together, these results corroborate and extend recent studies suggesting that novel oral anticoagulants which target thrombin (and PAR1) may assert anti-epileptic effects in vivo. KEY MESSAGES: Systemic thrombin/PAR1-inhibition ameliorates anticoagulants behavioral seizures. Status epilepticus increases thrombin levels in the hippocampus. Increased serine protease activity in the hippocampus after status epileptic. Anti-epileptic potential of clinically used anticoagulants must be evaluated.

Thrombin contributes to the injury development and neurological deficit after acute subdural hemorrhage in rats only in collaboration with additional blood-derived factors

Background

Acute subdural hemorrhage (ASDH) is a severe consequence of traumatic brain injury. The occurrence of subdural blood increases the lethality of these patients independent of the amount of blood or elevated intracranial pressure. Thrombin is one of the potential harmful blood components. Possible harmful effects of thrombin are mediated via the Protease-activated-receptor-1 (PAR1) and thus, translating the acute Thrombin release after ASDH into cell loss. The objectives of the present study were twofold, namely to examine (1) the impact of direct thrombin inhibition in the acute phase after hemorrhage on the long-term histological and functional deficits and (2) the early inhibition of PAR1 activation by thrombin with the selective antagonist SCH79797 on lesion volume at 14 days after ASDH. The effects of thrombin on the lesion size were investigated in two separate experiments via (1) direct thrombin inhibition in the subdural infused blood (Argatroban 600 µg) as well as by (2) intraventricular injection of the PAR-1 antagonist SCH79797 (1 µg or 5 µg). Lesion volume and behavior deficits using a neurological deficit score and a motor function test (beam balance test) were analyzed as outcome parameters at 14 days after injury.

Results

59 Male Sprague–Dawley rats received a subdural infusion of 300 µl autologous blood or sham operation. Lesion volume at 14 days after ASDH tended to be smaller in the Argatroban-treated group when compared to the vehicle group (8.1 ± 1.1 vs. 10.1 ± 2.3 mm², n.s.). Motor deficits in the beam balance test were not significantly less severe in the Argatroban-treated group. Animals treated with SCH79797 also showed a trend towards dose-dependent decreased lesion volume in comparison to the vehicle-treated group (1 μg: 4.3 ± 0.7 mm³; 5 μg: 3.8 ± 1.1 mm³; vehicle: 6.5 ± 2.0 mm³, n.s).

Conclusions

Thrombin inhibition in the subdural blood and local cerebral blockade of PAR-1 cause a tendency towards reduced lesion volume or functional recovery. All results show a trend in favor of the acute treatment on the outcome parameters. Our results suggests that thrombin could be an important blood-derived factor during acute subdural hemorrhage that translates its deleterious effects in concert with other blood-induced factors.

Thrombin and the Protease-Activated Receptor-1 in Organophosphate-Induced Status Epilepticus

Organophosphates (OP) are a major threat to the health of soldiers and civilians due to their use as chemical weapons in war and in terror attacks. Among the acute manifestations of OP poisoning, status epilepticus (SE) is bearing the highest potential for long-term damages. Current therapies do not prevent brain damage and seizure-related brain injuries in OP-exposed humans. Thrombin is a serine protease known to have a fundamental function in the clotting cascade. It is highly expressed in the brain where we have previously found that it regulates synaptic transmission and plasticity. In addition, we have found that an excess of thrombin in the brain leads to hyperexcitability and therefore seizures through a glutamate-dependent mechanism. In the current study, we carried out in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo experiments in order to determine the role of thrombin and its receptor PAR-1 in paraoxon-induced SE. Elevated thrombin activity was found in the brain slices from mice that were treated (in vitro and in vivo) with paraoxon. Increased levels of PAR-1 and pERK proteins and decreased prothrombin mRNA were found in the brains of paraoxon-treated mice. Furthermore, ex vivo and in vivo electrophysiological experiments showed that exposure to paraoxon causes elevated electrical activity in CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus. Moreover, a specific PAR-1 antagonist (SCH79797) reduced this activity. Altogether, these results reveal the importance of thrombin and PAR-1 in paraoxon poisoning. In addition, the results indicate that thrombin and PAR-1 may be a possible target for the treatment of paraoxon-induced status epilepticus.

Agomelatine protects against neuronal damage without preventing epileptogenesis in the kainate model of temporal lobe epilepsy

Recent studies about the novel antidepressant agomelatine, which is a mixed MT₁ and MT₂ melatonin receptor agonist and 5HT_2C serotonin receptor antagonist possessing an anticonvulsant and neuroprotective action, suggest that it may have potential to contribute against epileptogenesis and epilepsy-induced memory impairment. In order to ascertain whether protection of some brain structures could suppress epileptogenesis, in the present study, we evaluated the effect of chronic post-status treatment with agomelatine on epileptogenesis, behavioral and neuronal damage induced by kainate acid (KA) status epilepticus (SE). Agomelatine/vehicle treatment (40mg/kg, i.p.) started one hour after SE and continued up to 10weeks in Wistar rats. Latency for onset of spontaneous motor seizures (SMS) and their frequency was detected by a 24-h video-recording. Locomotor activity, anxiety and hippocampus-dependent spatial memory in open field (OF), elevated plus maze (EPM), light-dark test (LDT) and radial arm maze (RAM) test, respectively, were evaluated during the last two weeks after SE. Agomelatine significantly decreased the latency for onset of SMS and increased the seizure frequency during the 2nd and the 3rd week of treatment. The MT₁ and MT₂ receptor agonist and serotonin 5HT_2C receptor antagonist exacerbated the KA-induced hyperlocomotion and impulsive behavior and it was unable to prevent spatial memory impairment of epileptic rats. However, agomelatine induced a neuroprotection in the dorsal hippocampus, specifically in the CA1, septal CA2 and partially in the CA3c region, the hilus of the dentate gyrus, piriform cortex and septo-temporal and temporal basolateral amygdala. Our findings suggest that the beneficial impact against SE-induced neuronal loss exerted by agomelatine is not crucial for the suppression of epileptogenesis and its deleterious consequences in KA model of temporal lobe epilepsy.

A Linear Temporal Increase in Thrombin Activity and Loss of Its Receptor in Mouse Brain following Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND

Brain thrombin activity is increased following acute ischemic stroke and may play a pathogenic role through the protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1). In order to better assess these factors, we obtained a novel detailed temporal and spatial profile of thrombin activity in a mouse model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAo).

METHODS

Thrombin activity was measured by fluorescence spectroscopy on coronal slices taken from the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres 2, 5, and 24 h following pMCAo (n = 5, 6, 5 mice, respectively). Its spatial distribution was determined by punch samples taken from the ischemic core and penumbra and further confirmed using an enzyme histochemistry technique (n = 4). Levels of PAR1 were determined using western blot.

RESULTS

Two hours following pMCAo, thrombin activity in the stroke core was already significantly higher than the contralateral area (11 ± 5 vs. 2 ± 1 mU/ml). At 5 and 24 h, thrombin activity continued to rise linearly (r = 0.998, p = 0.001) and to expand in the ischemic hemisphere beyond the ischemic core reaching deleterious levels of 271 ± 117 and 123 ± 14 mU/ml (mean ± SEM) in the basal ganglia and ischemic cortex, respectively. The peak elevation of thrombin activity in the ischemic core that was confirmed by fluorescence histochemistry was in good correlation with the infarcts areas. PAR1 levels in the ischemic core decreased as stroke progressed and thrombin activity increased.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, there is a time- and space-related increase in brain thrombin activity in acute ischemic stroke that is closely related to the progression of brain damage. These results may be useful in the development of therapeutic strategies for ischemic stroke that involve the thrombin-PAR1 pathway in order to prevent secondary thrombin related brain damage.

Effects of protease-activated receptor 1 inhibition on anxiety and fear following status epilepticus

Protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) is an important contributor to the pathogenesis of a variety of brain disorders associated with a risk of epilepsy development. Using the lithium-pilocarpine model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), we recently showed that inhibition of this receptor during the first ten days after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) results in substantial anti-epileptogenic and neuroprotective effects. As PAR1 is expressed in the central nervous system regions of importance for processing emotional reactions, including amygdala and hippocampus, and TLE is frequently associated with a chronic alteration of the functions of these regions, we tested the hypothesis that PAR1 inhibition could modulate emotionally driven behavioral responses of rats experiencing SE. We showed that SE induces a chronic decrease in the animals' anxiety-related behavior and an increase of locomotor activity. PAR1 inhibition after SE abolished the alteration of the anxiety level but does not affect the increase of locomotor activity in the open field and elevated plus maze tests. Moreover, while PAR1 inhibition produces an impairment of memory recall in the context fear conditioning paradigm in the control group, it substantially improves contextual and cued fear learning in rats experiencing SE. These data suggest that PAR1-dependent signaling is involved in the mechanisms underlying emotional disorders in epilepsy.

Inhibition of Protease-Activated Receptor 1 Does not Affect Dendritic Homeostasis of Cultured Mouse Dentate Granule Cells

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). While a firm link between PAR1-activation and functional synaptic and intrinsic neuronal properties exists, studies on the role of PAR1 in neural structural plasticity are scarce. The physiological function of PAR1 in the brain remains not well understood. We here sought to determine whether prolonged pharmacologic PAR1-inhibition affects dendritic morphologies of hippocampal neurons. To address this question we employed live-cell microscopy of mouse dentate granule cell dendrites in 3-week old entorhino-hippocampal slice cultures prepared from Thy1-GFP mice. A subset of cultures were treated with the PAR1-inhibitor SCH79797 (1 μM; up to 3 weeks). No major effects of PAR1-inhibition on static and dynamic parameters of dentate granule cell dendrites were detected under control conditions. Granule cells of PAR1-deficient slice cultures showed unaltered dendritic morphologies, dendritic spine densities and excitatory synaptic strength. Furthermore, we report that PAR1-inhibition does not prevent dendritic retraction following partial deafferentation in vitro. Consistent with this finding, no major changes in PAR1-mRNA levels were detected in the denervated dentate gyrus (DG). We conclude that neural PAR1 is not involved in regulating the steady-state dynamics or deafferentation-induced adaptive changes of cultured dentate granule cell dendrites. These results indicate that drugs targeting neural PAR1-signals may not affect the stability and structural integrity of neuronal networks in healthy brain regions.

Thrombin modulates persistent sodium current in CA1 pyramidal neurons of young and adult rat hippocampus

Serine protease thrombin, a key factor of blood coagulation, participates in many neuronal processes important for normal brain functioning and during pathological conditions involving abnormal neuronal synchronization, neurodegeneration and inflammation. Our previous study on CA3 pyramidal neurons showed that application ofthrombin through the activation of specific protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) produces a significant hyperpolarizing shift of the activation of the TTX-sensitive persistent voltage-gated Na+ current (I(Nap)) thereby affecting membrane potential and seizure threshold at the network level. It was shown that PAR1 is also expressed in CA1 area of hippocampus and can be implicated in neuronal damage in this area after status epilepticus. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of thrombin on I(NaP) in CA1 pyramidal neurons from adult and young rats. Using whole cell patch-clamp technique we demonstrate that thrombin application results in the hyperpolarization shift of I(NaP) activation as well as increase in the I(NaP) amplitude in both age groups. We have found that I(NaP) in pyramidal neurons of hippocampal CA 1 region is more vulnerable to the thrombin action than I(NaP) in pyramidal neurons of hippocampal CA3 region. We have also found that the immature hippocampus is more sensitive to thrombin action which emphasizes the contribution of thrombin-dependent pathway to the regulation of neuronal activity in immature brain.

Status Epilepticus Induced Spontaneous Dentate Gyrus Spikes: In Vivo Current Source Density Analysis

The dentate gyrus is considered to function as an inhibitory gate limiting excitatory input to the hippocampus. Following status epilepticus (SE), this gating function is reduced and granule cells become hyper-excitable. Dentate spikes (DS) are large amplitude potentials observed in the dentate gyrus (DG) of normal animals. DS are associated with membrane depolarization of granule cells, increased activity of hilar interneurons and suppression of CA3 and CA1 pyramidal cell firing. Therefore, DS could act as an anti-excitatory mechanism. Because of the altered gating function of the dentate gyrus following SE, we sought to investigate how DS are affected following pilocarpine-induced SE. Two weeks following lithium-pilocarpine SE induction, hippocampal EEG was recorded in male Sprague-Dawley rats with 16-channel silicon probes under urethane anesthesia. Probes were placed dorso-ventrally to encompass either CA1-CA3 or CA1-DG layers. Large amplitude spikes were detected from EEG recordings and subject to current source density analysis. Probe placement was verified histologically to evaluate the anatomical localization of current sinks and the origin of DS. In 9 of 11 pilocarpine-treated animals and two controls, DS were confirmed with large current sinks in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. DS frequency was significantly increased in pilocarpine-treated animals compared to controls. Additionally, in pilocarpine-treated animals, DS displayed current sinks in the outer, middle and/or inner molecular layers. However, there was no difference in the frequency of events when comparing between layers. This suggests that following SE, DS can be generated by input from medial and lateral entorhinal cortex, or within the dentate gyrus. DS were associated with an increase in multiunit activity in the granule cell layer, but no change in CA1. These results suggest that following SE there is an increase in DS activity, potentially arising from hyperexcitability along the hippocampal-entorhinal pathway or within the dentate gyrus itself.