Low-frequency stimulation of the hippocampal CA3 subfield is anti-epileptogenic and anti-ictogenic in rat amygdaloid kindling model of epilepsy.
Neuromodulation with low-frequency stimulation (LFS), of brain structures other than epileptic foci, is effective in inhibiting seizures in animals and patients, whereas selection of targets for LFS requires further investigation. The hippocampal CA(3) subfield is a key site in the circuit of seizure generation and propagation. The present study aimed to illustrate the effects of LFS of the CA(3) region on seizure acquisition and generalization in the rat amygdaloid kindling model of epilepsy. We found that LFS (monophasic square-wave pulses, 1Hz, 100 microA and 0.1ms per pulse) of the CA(3) region significantly depressed the duration of epileptiform activity and seizure acquisition by retarding progression from focal to generalized seizures (GS). Moreover, GS duration was significantly shortened and its latency was significantly increased in the LFS group demonstrating an inhibition of the severity of GS and the spread of epileptiform activity. Furthermore, LFS prevented the decline of afterdischarge threshold (ADT) and elevated GS threshold indicating an inhibition of susceptibility to GS. These results suggest that LFS of the hippocampal CA(3) subfield is anti-epileptogenic and anti-ictogenic. Neuromodulation of CA(3) activity using LFS may be an alternative potential approach for temporal lobe epilepsy treatment.
Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Shi-Hong
SH
Zhang
Hong-Liu
HL
Sun
Qi
Q
Fang
Kai
K
Zhong
Deng-Chang
DC
Wu
Shuang
S
Wang
Zhong
Z
Chen
D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007696:Kindling, Neurologic; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley