title: Deep Brain Stimulation of the Ventral Pallidum Attenuates Epileptiform Activity and Seizing Behavior in Pilocarpine-Treated Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brain stimulation is effective for people with intractable epilepsy. However, modulating neural targets that provide greater efficacy to more individuals is still needed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigate whether bilateral deep brain stimulation of the ventral pallidum (VP-DBS) has potent seizure control in pilocarpine-treated rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  VP-DBS (50 Hz) was applied prior to generalized forebrain seizures or after generalized brainstem seizures manifested. Behavioral seizures were assessed using a modified Racine scale. In vitro and in vivo electrophysiological techniques were employed to identify how VP-DBS affects proximal and distal neuronal activity. The open field test was used to see if acute and chronic VP-DBS affected gross motor function or arousal state. Parametric and non-parametric statistics with post-hoc analysis were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VP-DBS prior to pilocarpine prevented behavioral forebrain and brainstem seizures in most animals (n = 15). VP-DBS after brainstem seizures emerged prevented or reduced the appearance of subsequent behavioral brainstem seizures (n = 11). VP-DBS attenuated epileptiform activity in the hippocampus (n = 5), but not in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) (n = 4) in vivo. Electrical stimulation in the VP increased VP GABAergic neuronal firing activity from 3.1 ± 1.4 Hz to 7.6 ± 1.7 Hz (n = 8) in vitro and reduced substantia nigra reticulata and superior colliculus neuronal spiking activity from 25.4 ± 3.3 Hz to 18.2 ± 1.4 Hz (n = 6) and 18.2 ± 1.4 Hz to 11.0 ± 1.1 Hz (n = 18), respectively, in vivo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VP-DBS can be a novel and potent therapeutic approach for individuals with intractable epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuropharmacology & Neuroscience, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuropharmacology & Neuroscience, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Walling
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuropharmacology & Neuroscience, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Autumn B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Adolfo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Zamora
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuropharmacology & Neuroscience, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Julie G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Pilitsis
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuropharmacology & Neuroscience, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA. Electronic address: shind@mail.amc.edu.
authors.forename: Damian S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D066187:Basal Forebrain / Q000166:cytology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059330:GABAergic Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000503:physiopathology; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D010862:Pilocarpine
keywords: Basal ganglia; Brainstem seizures; Electrical stimulation; Epilepsy; Seizures