title: Involvement of proprioceptive feedback in brainstem-triggered convulsions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In rodents, specific motor components of generalized convulsive seizures depend on two distinct anatomic substrates: (a) forebrain networks are responsible for facial and forelimb clonus with or without rearing and falling; and (b) brainstem networks are responsible for running-bouncing fits and tonic convulsions. To investigate the requirement of proprioceptive inputs in the generation of these two different types of seizures, we compared the effects of neuromuscular blockade by D-tubocurarine on the EEG expression of brainstem- and forebrain-triggered seizures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unilateral electrical stimulations were applied for 50 consecutive days in freely moving male adult rats through a bipolar electrode aimed at the dorsal hippocampus (n = 5), the occipital cortex (n = 4), the inferior colliculus (n = 6), or the midbrain reticular formation (n = 6). Two days after the last stimulation, rats were paralyzed with d-tubocurarine and stimulated in the same way.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In brainstem structures, the first electrical stimulation induced tonic seizures concomitant with low-voltage cortical activity; repetition of daily stimulations progressively induced tonic-clonic seizures associated with high-amplitude cortical spike-wave discharges. After immobilization by d-tubocurarine, brainstem stimulations failed to induce any EEG paroxysm. In forebrain structures, repeated electrical stimulations produced a classic kindling with progressive occurrence of clonic seizures associated with large cortical discharges; d-tubocurarine left unchanged the EEG pattern of these latter seizures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that proprioceptive reafferentation resulting from movement is necessary for the generation of self-sustained brainstem seizures but is not implicated in the elaboration of forebrain seizures.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U 398, Faculté de Médecine, Hôpitaux Universitaires, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maton
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vergnes
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marescaux
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology*; D007103:Immobilization; D007696:Kindling, Neurologic / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014403:Tubocurarine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014403:Tubocurarine