title: Alterations of cortical and hippocampal EEG activity in MeCP2-deficient mice.
abstract: Rett syndrome is a pediatric neurological condition caused by mutations of the gene encoding the transcriptional regulator MECP2. In this study, we examined cortical and hippocampal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in male and female MeCP2-deficient mice at symptomatic stages during different behavioral states. During acute sleep, MeCP2-deficient mice displayed normal delta-like activity in cortex and sharp-wave activity in hippocampus. However, when the mice were awake but immobile, abnormal spontaneous, rhythmic EEG discharges of 6-9 Hz were readily detected in the somatosensory cortex. During exploratory activity, MeCP2-deficient mice displayed clear theta rhythm activity in hippocampus, but its peak frequency was significantly attenuated compared to wild type. Collectively, these findings indicate that a deficiency in MeCP2 function in mice leads to alterations in EEG activity with similarities to what has been observed clinically in Rett syndrome patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics and Development, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 2S8.
authors.forename: Jennifer Anne
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: D'Cruz
authors.forename: Chiping
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zahid
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: El-Hayek
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Eubanks
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000235:genetics*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013826:Theta Rhythm
chemical_list: C497393:Mecp2 protein, mouse; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2