Seizure entrainment with polarizing low-frequency electric fields in a chronic animal epilepsy model

J Neural Eng. 2009 Aug;6(4):046009. doi: 10.1088/1741-2560/6/4/046009. Epub 2009 Jul 15.

Abstract

Neural activity can be modulated by applying a polarizing low-frequency (<<100 Hz) electric field (PLEF). Unlike conventional pulsed stimulation, PLEF stimulation has a graded, modulatory effect on neuronal excitability, and permits the simultaneous recording of neuronal activity during stimulation suitable for continuous feedback control. We tested a prototype system that allows for simultaneous PLEF stimulation with minimal recording artifact in a chronic tetanus toxin animal model (rat) of hippocampal epilepsy with spontaneous seizures. Depth electrode local field potentials recorded during seizures revealed a characteristic pattern of field postsynaptic potentials (fPSPs). Sinusoidal voltage-controlled PLEF stimulation (0.5-25 Hz) was applied in open-loop cycles radially across the CA3 of ventral hippocampus. For stimulated seizures, fPSPs were transiently entrained with the PLEF waveform. Statistical significance of entrainment was assessed with Thomson's harmonic F-test, with 45/132 stimulated seizures in four animals individually demonstrating significant entrainment (p < 0.04). Significant entrainment for multiple presentations at the same frequency (p < 0.01) was observed in three of four animals in 42/64 stimulated seizures. This is the first demonstration in chronically implanted freely behaving animals of PLEF modulation of neural activity with simultaneous recording.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Artifacts
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Electric Stimulation / methods
  • Electrodes, Implanted
  • Electroencephalography
  • Electromagnetic Fields*
  • Epilepsy / chemically induced
  • Epilepsy / physiopathology*
  • Hippocampus / physiopathology*
  • Hippocampus / radiation effects*
  • Male
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Seizures / chemically induced
  • Seizures / physiopathology*
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Synaptic Potentials
  • Tetanus Toxin

Substances

  • Tetanus Toxin