title: Combined electrophysiological and biosensor approaches to study purinergic regulation of epileptiform activity in cortical tissue.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cortical brain slices offer a readily accessible experimental model of a region of the brain commonly affected by epilepsy. The diversity of recording techniques, seizure-promoting protocols and mutant mouse models provides a rich diversity of avenues of investigation, which is facilitated by the regular arrangement of distinct neuronal populations and afferent fibre pathways, particularly in the hippocampus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have been interested in the regulation of seizure activity in hippocampal and neocortical slices by the purines, adenosine and ATP. Via the use of microelectrode biosensors we have been able to measure the release of these important neuroactive compounds simultaneously with on-going epileptiform activity, even of brief durations. In addition, detailed numerical analysis and computational modelling has produced new insights into the kinetics and spatial distribution of elevations in purine concentration that occur during seizure activity.
  Such an approach allows the spatio-temporal characteristics of neurotransmitter/neuromodulator release to be directly correlated with electrophysiological measures of synaptic and seizure activity, and can provide greater insight into the role of purines in epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. Electronic address: b.g.frenguelli@warwick.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Bruno G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Frenguelli
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051379:Mice; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011687:Purines / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011687:Purines; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic
keywords: ATP; Adenosine; Biosensor; Epilepsy; Epileptiform activity; Seizure