title: Independent epileptiform discharge patterns in the olfactory and limbic areas of the in vitro isolated Guinea pig brain during 4-aminopyridine treatment.
abstract: In vitro studies performed on brain slices demonstrate that the potassium channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4AP, 50 microM) discloses electrographic seizure activity and interictal discharges. These epileptiform patterns have been further analyzed here in a isolated whole guinea pig brain in vitro by using field potential recordings in olfactory and limbic structures. In 8 of 13 experiments runs of fast oscillatory activity (fast runs, FRs) in the piriform cortex (PC) propagated to the lateral entorhinal cortex (EC), hippocampus and occasionally to the medial EC. Early and late FRs were asynchronous in the hemispheres showed different duration [1.78 +/- 0.51 and 27.95 +/- 4.55 (SD) s, respectively], frequency of occurrence (1.82 +/- 0.49 and 34.16 +/- 6.03 s) and frequency content (20-40 vs. 40-60 Hz). Preictal spikes independent from the FRs appeared in the hippocampus/EC and developed into ictal-like discharges that did not propagate to the PC. Ictal-like activity consisted of fast activity with onset either in the hippocampus (n = 6) or in the mEC (n = 2), followed by irregular spiking and sequences of diffusely synchronous bursts. Perfusion of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (100 microM) did not prevent FRs, increased the duration of limbic ictal-like discharges and favored their propagation to olfactory structures. The AMPA receptor antagonist 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (50 microM) blocked ictal-like events and reduced FRs. In conclusion, 4AP-induced epileptiform activities are asynchronous and independent in olfactory and hippocampal-entorhinal regions. Epileptiform discharges in the isolated guinea pig brain show different pharmacological properties compared with rodent in vitro slices.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Experimental Neurophysiology and Epileptology, Fondazione Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carriero
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uva
authors.forename: Vadym
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gnatkovsky
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avoli
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Curtis
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008032:Limbic System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010507:Periodicity; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D011810:Quinoxalines; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C056723:FG 9041; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D015761:4-Aminopyridine