title: The zona incerta modulates spontaneous spike-wave discharges in the rat.
abstract: The contribution of the zona incerta (ZI) of the thalamus on spike-wave discharges (SWDs) was investigated. Chronic recordings of bilateral cortices, bilateral vibrissa muscle, and unilateral ZI were performed in Long-Evans rats to examine the functional role of SWDs. Rhythmic ZI activity appeared at the beginning of SWD and was accompanied by higher-oscillation frequencies and larger spike magnitudes. Bilateral lidocaine injections into the mystacial pads led to a decreased oscillation frequency of SWDs, but the phenomenon of ZI-related spike magnitude enhancement was preserved. Moreover, 800-Hz ZI microstimulation terminates most of the SWDs and whisker twitching (WT; >80%). In contrast, 200-Hz ZI microstimulation selectively stops WTs but not SWDs. Stimulation of the thalamic ventroposteriomedial nucleus showed no obvious effect on terminating SWDs. A unilateral ZI lesion resulted in a significant reduction of 7- to 12-Hz power of both the ipsilateral cortical and contralateral vibrissae muscle activities during SWDs. Intraincertal microinfusion of muscimol showed a significant inhibition on SWDs. Our present data suggest that the ZI actively modulates the SWD magnitude and WT behavior.
authors: Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. fzshaw@yahoo.com.tw
authors: Fu-Zen
authors: FZ
authors: Shaw
authors: Yi-Fang
authors: YF
authors: Liao
authors: Ruei-Feng
authors: RF
authors: Chen
authors: Yu-Hsing
authors: YH
authors: Huang
authors: Rick C S
authors: RC
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009118:Muscimol / Q000494:pharmacology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D020530:Subthalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D009118:Muscimol; D008012:Lidocaine
keywords: absence seizure; deep brain stimulation; spike-wave discharge; tremor; zona incerta