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

Sridhar Sunderam, Nick Chernyy, Nathalia Peixoto, Jonathan P. Mason, Steven L. Weinstein, Steven J. Schiff, Bruce J. Gluckman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

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.

Original languageEnglish
Article number046009
JournalJournal of Neural Engineering
Volume6
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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