Properties of interictal discharges induced by hippocampal kindling

Development of spontaneous recurrent seizures accompanied with increased rates of interictal spikes and decreased hippocampal delta and theta activities following extended kindling in mice

Interictal epileptiform discharges refer to aberrant brain electrographic signals between seizures and feature intermittent interictal spikes (ISs), sharp waves, and/or abnormal rhythms. Recognition of these epileptiform activities by electroencephalographic (EEG) examinations greatly aids epilepsy diagnosis and localization of the seizure onset zone. ISs are a major form of interictal epileptiform discharges recognized in animal models of epilepsy. Progressive changes in IS waveforms, IS rates, and/or associated fast ripple oscillations have been shown to precede the development of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) in various animal models. IS expressions in the kindling model of epilepsy have been demonstrated but IS changes during the course of SRS development in extended kindled animals remain to be detailed. We hence addressed this issue using a mouse model of kindling-induced SRS. Adult C57 black mice received twice daily hippocampal stimulations until SRS occurrence, with 24-h EEG monitoring performed following 50, 80, and ≥ 100 stimulations and after observation of SRS. In the stimulated hippocampus, increases in spontaneous ISs rates, but not in IS waveforms nor IS-associated fast ripples, along with decreased frequencies of hippocampal delta and theta rhythms, were observed before SRS onset. Comparable increases in IS rates were further observed in the unstimulated hippocampus, piriform cortex, and entorhinal cortex, but not in the unstimulated parietal cortex and dorsomedial thalamus. These data provide original evidence suggesting that increases in hippocampal IS rates, together with reductions in hippocampal delta and theta rhythms are closely associated with development of SRS in a rodent kindling model.

Spectral analysis of bilateral or alternate-site kindling-induced afterdischarges in the rabbit hippocampi

Kindling is one of the popular animal models of temporal lobe epilepsy. In the present study following the previous results obtained using unilateral hippocampal kindling (UK), we performed spectral analysis of bilateral or alternate-site kindling-induced afterdischarges (ADs) in the rabbit hippocampi. Eight and ten adult rabbits were used for bilateral kindling (BK) and alternate-site kindling (AK), respectively. Kindling stimuli consisted of a train of biphasic pulses (1ms duration each) of 50Hz for 1s, with suprathreshold intensity for AD. The stimulations were applied simultaneously to the bilateral hippocampi in the BK and were delivered to the right and left hippocampus once every 24h in the AK. Motor responses were classified into five stages according to the conventional criteria. All animals in BK as well as AK developed stage 5 convulsions. This contrasts to the result of UK (kindled: 50%; incomplete: 50%). We normalized power spectral density (PSD) and monitored the changes in the proportion of lower frequency band component (LFB: 0-9Hz) and the higher frequency band (HFB: 12-30Hz). BK animals showed a significantly large decrement (0.5 times, p<0.01) in LFB component at the final stage compared to the initial stage, but a very large increment (4.7 times) in HFB component. Likewise, AK animals exhibited a significantly large decrement (0.6 times, p<0.01) in LFB component at the final stage, but a very large increment (3.6 times) in HFB component. Correlation analyses were performed between the HFB component and AD duration, interictal discharge frequency, and behavioral stages during kindling progression. Very strong positive correlations were found in both kindling animals. Chronological spectral analysis of seizure discharges, resulting in a pattern of LFB decrement accompanied by HFB increment, is a convenient tool to investigate epileptic disorders and diagnose epileptic states.

Fast Fourier transformation analysis of kindling-induced afterdischarge in the rabbit hippocampus

Kindling is a widely used animal model of intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. In the present study, we performed fast Fourier transformation (FFT) analysis of kindling-induced afterdischarge (AD) in the rabbit hippocampus. Ten adult rabbits were used. Kindling stimulation to the right hippocampus was delivered as a train of biphasic pulses (1 ms duration each) of 50 Hz for 1s, with suprathreshold intensity for AD. Motor responses were classified into five stages according to the conventional criteria. Of 10 animals, five developed stage 5 convulsions with a mean of 21 stimulations (kindled (K) group), while the remaining five animals did not (incomplete kindling (IK) group). We standardized each ratio of power spectral density of lower frequency band component (LFB: 0-9 Hz) and the higher frequency band (HFB: 12-30 Hz) in the initial stage as 1.0. The IK group exhibited small decrements (0.99 and 0.94 times) in LFB and HFB components at the final stage. In contrast, the K group exhibited a significantly (p<0.05) large decrement (0.49 times) in the LFB component and a very large increment (4.45 times) of HFB component at the final stage. Correlation analyses were performed between alteration of power spectral density ratio of the HFB component and AD duration, interictal discharge frequency, and behavioral stage during kindling progression. Fairly strong positive correlations were found in all cases in the K group. FFT analysis of kindling-induced AD demonstrated an important role of the HFB component: enhancement of the HFB component is associated with kindled stage, while decrement of it is associated with incomplete kindling stage. These findings suggest that FFT analysis of stimulus-induced and spontaneous seizure discharges is useful for examination of the progression of epileptic disorders.

Epileptogenesis induced by alternate-site kindling in bilateral hippocampi

PURPOSE

Alternate-site kindling (AK), which has been known to induce so-called kindling antagonism, was performed in the bilateral hippocampi to reveal neural mechanisms underlying hippocampal kindling.

METHODS

Ten adult rabbits were used. Daily kindling stimulation consisted of a 1- s train of 50 pulses (pulse duration, 1 ms) of 80 to 200 microA (base-to-peak), which was higher than the afterdischarge (AD) threshold. The concurrent alternating stimulations were delivered to the right and left hippocampus once every 24 h.

RESULTS

All animals developed a stage 5 convulsion with a mean of 28.1 +/- 3.3 (mean +/- SEM) stimulations. The right and left hippocampus received 14.8 +/- 1.7 and 14.6 +/- 1.6 stimulations, respectively. Behavioral stages induced by stimulation of the right or left hippocampus evolved to generalized seizures along a similar course. Kindling antagonism was not observed. The two sides showed similar increases in AD duration, and similar chronologic changes in interictal discharge (IID) frequency. Simple A-type IID and complex types of IID appeared at higher rates, whereas simple B-type IID remained at a relatively low level.

CONCLUSIONS

The present AK procedure did not induce kindling antagonism, but it induced progression of kindling manifestations. The origin of simple B-type IID is known to be in the contralateral side, and its intracellular counterpart corresponds to a sequence of small depolarization followed by large hyperpolarization, suggesting that plastic changes in the feed-forward inhibitory system play an important role in hippocampal kindling.

Ih blockers have a potential of antiepileptic effects

PURPOSE

The h current (Ih) is an inwardly mixed cationic conductance activated by membrane hyperpolarization and distributed predominantly in the apical dendrites of hippocampal pyramidal neurons. To verify a hypothesis that an anomalous hyperpolarization generates an abnormal excitation by way of Ih channels, we examined the effects of Ih blockers (CsCl and ZD7288) on electrically induced paroxysmal discharges (PADs).

METHODS

Fifty-three adult male rabbits were used. We measured the PAD threshold elicited by stimulation to the apical dendritic layer of the hippocampal CA1 region before and after injecting 50 microl of each Ih blocker or saline extracellularly into the same region.

RESULTS

In Ih blocker injection groups (n = 26), we obtained a significant increase in PAD threshold (1 mM CsCl: 163%, p < 0.01; 10 mM CsCl: 265%, p < 0.01; 100 mM CsCl: 199%, p < 0.01; 100 microM ZD7288: 192%, p < 0.05; 1 mM ZD7288: 246%, p < 0.05). Conversely, we did not obtain the increase in PAD threshold in a saline injection group (n = 10, 107%). The magnitude as well as duration of the effect had a tendency to depend on concentration of Ih blockers, although a saturated or declining tendency was observed with the 100 mM CsCl injection.

CONCLUSIONS

We concluded that Ih channels might contribute to hippocampal epileptiform discharges in vivo. Our hypothesis for epileptogenesis demonstrated in the present experiment offers an idea to develop a new type of antiepileptic drug based on Ih blockers for the treatment of epileptic disorders refractory to current medications.

Simultaneous kindling of the bilateral hippocampi: an advanced model for epilepsy research

PURPOSE

To examine whether simultaneous kindling of bilateral hippocampi [bilateral kindling (BK)] could accelerate the achievement of seizures by the breakdown of kindling antagonism or decelerate the achievement of seizures by its enhancement.

METHODS

The hippocampi of 17 adult rabbits were simultaneously kindled bilaterally according to Goddard's method.

RESULTS

All animals developed stage 5 convulsions after a mean of 28 stimulations. Six animals showed spontaneous seizure discharges. Afterdischarge duration increased abruptly during the early period of kindling, but thereafter it gradually progressed. Chronological analyses of interictal discharges (IIDs) demonstrated that simple as well as complex types of IIDs increased their frequencies during BK.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with unilaterally kindled animals, the BK procedure significantly increased the percentage of animals that successfully kindled (100% vs. 59%; p < 0.01), whereas it significantly decelerated the kindling progression (28 days vs. 19 days; p < 0.02). We conclude that the BK procedure represents potentiation of both excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms. Although the reason why such an antagonistic relationship between them breaks down is still unknown, the BK provides an advanced animal model to study the pathogenic mechanisms of kindling and to screen anticonvulsants.