External termination of recurrent bursting in a model of connected local neural sub-networks

Abstract Epileptic seizures are characterized by repetitive synchronous neuronal bursting activity. To study external influences on this activity, a simple model of a chain loop of neuronal networks has been developed with the goal of understanding how external stimuli can contribute to reduction or cessation of such abnormal recurrent bursting activity. Using this simulated loop model, one can demonstrate that an external stimulus that normally can initiate repetitive activity can terminate the bursting activity when applied to a chain loop of sub-networks, which has actively propagating bursts. The ability of external currents to terminate activity is dependent upon loop length and the timing of the applied external stimulus. Termination of propagation in long loops (40–64 sub-networks in this model) requires application of multiple simultaneous stimuli to different sub-networks.