title: A spatially extended model for macroscopic spike-wave discharges.
abstract: Spike-wave discharges are a distinctive feature of epileptic seizures. So far, they have not been reported in spatially extended neural field models. We study a space-independent version of the Amari neural field model with two competing inhibitory populations. We show that this competition leads to robust spike-wave dynamics if the inhibitory populations operate on different time-scales. The spike-wave oscillations present a fold/homoclinic type bursting. From this result we predict parameters of the extended Amari system where spike-wave oscillations produce a spatially homogeneous pattern. We propose this mechanism as a prototype of macroscopic epileptic spike-wave discharges. To our knowledge this is the first example of robust spike-wave patterns in a spatially extended neural field model.
authors.affiliation: Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, M1 7DN, UK. peter.taylor@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Peter Neal
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Gerold
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baier
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003344:Cortical Synchronization / Q000502:physiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology