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

• Published in: Experimental neurology Vol. 96; no. 1; pp. 127 - 136
• Main Authors: Vergnes, M., Marescaux, C., Depaulis, A., Micheletti, G., Warter, J.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.04.1987; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebral Cortex - physiopathology; Disease Models, Animal; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy, Absence - genetics; Epilepsy, Absence - physiopathology; Hippocampus - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Membrane Potentials; Nervous system involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous; Neurology; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Thalamus - physiopathology; SWD; GNCS; Cerebral cortex; Nervous system diseases; Rat; Epilepsy; Spontaneous; Rodentia; Petit mal; Hereditary; Discharge; Vertebrata; Experimental disease; Mammalia; Spike wave; Thalamus
• ISSN: 0014-4886; 1090-2430
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-4886(87)90174-9

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.