title: How is homeostatic plasticity important in epilepsy?
abstract: Maintaining physiological variables within narrow operating limits by homeostatic mechanisms is a fundamental property of most if not all living cells and organisms. In recent years, research from many laboratories has shown that the activity of neurons and neural circuits are also homeostatically regulated. Here, we attempt to apply concepts of homeostasis in general, and more specifically synaptic homeostatic plasticity, to the study of epilepsy. We hypothesize that homeostatic mechanisms are actively engaged in the epileptic brain. These processes attempt to re-establish normal neuronal and network activity, but are opposed by the concurrent mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis. In forms of intractable epilepsy, seizures are so frequent and intense that homeostatic mechanisms are unable to restore normal levels of neuronal activity. In such cases, we contend that homeostatic plasticity mechanisms nevertheless remain active. However, their continuing attempts to reset neuronal activity become maladaptive and results in dyshomeostasis with neurobehavioral consequences. Using the developing hippocampus as a model system, we briefly review experimental results and present a series of arguments to propose that the cognitive neurobehavioral comorbidities of childhood epilepsy result, at least in part, from unchecked homeostatic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: The Cain Foundation Laboratories, The Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, 1250 Moursund St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA, jswann@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Swann
authors.forename: Jong M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rho
mesh_terms: D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity