title: Common resting brain dynamics indicate a possible mechanism underlying zolpidem response in severe brain injury.
abstract: Zolpidem produces paradoxical recovery of speech, cognitive and motor functions in select subjects with severe brain injury but underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In three diverse patients with known zolpidem responses we identify a distinctive pattern of EEG dynamics that suggests a mechanistic model. In the absence of zolpidem, all subjects show a strong low frequency oscillatory peak ∼6-10 Hz in the EEG power spectrum most prominent over frontocentral regions and with high coherence (∼0.7-0.8) within and between hemispheres. Zolpidem administration sharply reduces EEG power and coherence at these low frequencies. The ∼6-10 Hz activity is proposed to arise from intrinsic membrane properties of pyramidal neurons that are passively entrained across the cortex by locally-generated spontaneous activity. Activation by zolpidem is proposed to arise from a combination of initial direct drug effects on cortical, striatal, and thalamic populations and further activation of underactive brain regions induced by restoration of cognitively-mediated behaviors. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01157.001.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Shawniqua T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Goldfine
authors.forename: Quentin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Noirhomme
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gosseries
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thonnard
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beattie
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hersh
authors.forename: Douglas I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Victor
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laureys
authors.forename: Nicholas D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Schiff
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077334:Zolpidem
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011725:Pyridines; D000077334:Zolpidem
keywords: Consciousness; GABA-A; anesthesia; arousal; central thalamus; striatum