Fast Oscillations and Epilepsy

Very fast oscillations, 80 Hz and greater (designated here VFOs or “ripples”) have been observed in the hippocampus and neocortex, under a variety of conditions that are summarized briefly later. VFOs may be of relevance for normal brain function (1–4) and could also be of relevance in the initiation of focal epileptic seizures (5,6). To determine whether such relevance indeed exists, an understanding of the cellular mechanisms of VFOs is essential. For purposes of this commentary, I shall assume that all forms of VFOs are governed by a few common basic underlying principles. Future experimental data may show that assumption to be false, but for now, the assumption at least allows the formulation of straightforward hypotheses that could stimulate experiments.