Spontaneous spike and wave discharges in thalamus and cortex in a rat model of genetic petit mal-like seizures

In an inbred strain of Wistar rats, spontaneous spike and wave discharges (8 to 10 c/s) appeared regularly on the EEG during quiet wakefulness and were accompanied by an arrest of behavioral activity associated with vibrissal and facial myoclonia. These seizures were recorded over the entire neocortex, but predominantly in the frontoparietal cortex. Subcortical bipolar recordings in chronic preparations showed that the lateral thalamic nuclei were greatly involved in these discharges: high-voltage spike and waves always appeared either simultaneously with, or slightly before the cortical discharges. In some cases, thalamic discharges were not accompanied by cortical discharges. No discharges were recorded in medial thalamic nuclei, in the cingulate cortex, or in the hippocampus. These results confirm the thalamocortical prevalence in the development of these rats' petit mal-like seizures, with a possible driving from thalamic nuclei.

[1]  J Gotman,et al.  An analysis of penicillin-induced generalized spike and wave discharges using simultaneous recordings of cortical and thalamic single neurons. , 1983, Journal of neurophysiology.

[2]  A. Depaulis,et al.  Enhancement of spike and wave discharges by GABAmimetic drugs in rats with spontaneous petit-mallike epilepsy , 1984, Neuroscience Letters.

[3]  Localization of the origin of metrazol-induced rhythmic electrocorticographic activity in rats. , 1983, Physiologia Bohemoslovaca.

[4]  S. Sharpless,et al.  Genetically determined spontaneous and pentylenetetrazol-induced brief spindle episodes in mice , 1979, Experimental Neurology.

[5]  A. Depaulis,et al.  Bidirectional effects of beta-carbolines in rats with spontaneous petit mal-like scizures , 1987, Brain Research Bulletin.

[6]  M. Deschenes,et al.  The thalamus as a neuronal oscillator , 1984, Brain Research Reviews.

[7]  Antiepileptic drug evaluation in a new animal model: spontaneous petit mal epilepsy in the rat. , 1985, Arzneimittel-Forschung.

[8]  P. Gloor,et al.  Effects of changes in cortical excitability upon the epileptic bursts in generalized penicillin epilepsy of the cat. , 1979, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.

[9]  H. Jasper,et al.  Book Reviews: Epilepsy and the Functional Anatomy of the Human Brain , 1954 .

[10]  D. Pollen.  Experimental Spike and Wave Responses and Petit Mai Epilepsy , 1968, Epilepsia.

[11]  EXPERIMENTAL "PETIT MAL" IN KITTENS. , 1963, Archives of neurology.

[12]  A. Depaulis,et al.  A Model of Chronic Spontaneous Petit Mal‐like Seizures in the Rat: Comparison with Pentylenetetrazol‐Induced Seizures , 1984, Epilepsia.

[13]  Incidence and development of rhythmic episodic activity in the electroencephalogram of a large rat population under chronic conditions. , 1983, Physiologia Bohemoslovaca.

[14]  M. Avoli,et al.  Participation of corticothalamic cells in penicillin-induced generalized spike and wave discharges , 1982, Brain Research.

[15]  R. Llinás,et al.  Electrophysiology of mammalian thalamic neurones in vitro , 1982, Nature.

[16]  B. Kaplan.  The epileptic nature of rodent electrocortical polyspiking is still unproven , 1985, Experimental Neurology.

[17]  J. Gotman,et al.  A study of the transition from spindles to spike and wave discharge in feline generalized penicillin epilepsy: Microphysiological features , 1981, Experimental Neurology.

[18]  A. Depaulis,et al.  [A genetic form of petit mal absence in Wistar rats]. , 1984, Revue neurologique.

[19]  Massimo Avoli,et al.  Interaction of cortex and thalamus in spike and wave discharges of feline generalized penicillin epilepsy , 1982, Experimental Neurology.

[20]  Quelques observations relatives aux activité évoquées et spontanées du cerveau du rat blanc. , 1958 .

[21]  F. Horvath,et al.  Thalamo-caudate-cortical relationships in synchronized activity. II. Further differentiation between spindle systems by cooling and lesions in the mesencephalon. , 1972, Brain research.

[22]  P. Gloor,et al.  A study of the transition from spindles to spike and wave discharge in feline generalized penicillin epilepsy: EEG features , 1981, Experimental Neurology.

[23]  Barry R. Komisaruk,et al.  Synchrony among rhythmical facial tremor, neocortical ‘ALPHA’ waves, and thalamic non-sensory neuronal bursts in intact awake rats , 1980, Brain Research.

[24]  W. Löscher,et al.  Comparative evaluation of anticonvulsant and toxic potencies of valproic acid and 2-en-valproic acid in different animal models of epilepsy. , 1984, European journal of pharmacology.

[25]  P. Gloor,et al.  Effects of bilateral partial diencephalic lesions on cortical epileptic activity in generalized penicillin epilepsy in the cat , 1979, Experimental Neurology.

[26]  G. Micheletti,et al.  Spontaneous paroxysmal electroclinical patterns in rat: A model of generalized non-convulsive epilepsy , 1982, Neuroscience Letters.

[27]  P. Gloor,et al.  Differential participation of some ‘specific’ and ‘non-specific’ thalamic nuclei in generalized spike and wave discharges of feline generalized penicillin epilepsy , 1984, Brain Research.

[28]  Massimo Avoli,et al.  Role of the thalamus in generalized penicillin epilepsy: Observations on decorticated cats , 1982, Experimental Neurology.

[29]  A. Depaulis,et al.  Ontogeny of spontaneous petit mal-like seizures in Wistar rats , 1986 .

[30]  M. Vergnes,et al.  Antiepileptic action of the beta-carboline ZK 91296 in a genetic petit mal model in rats. , 1984, European journal of pharmacology.