scholarly journals Excess interictal activity marks seizure prone cortical areas and mice in a genetic epilepsy model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William F Tobin ◽  
Matthew Weston
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Cortical Activity ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
K Channel ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dorsal Cortex ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Epileptiform Discharges ◽  
Spontaneous Seizures

Genetic epilepsies are often caused by variants in widely expressed genes, potentially impacting numerous brain regions and functions. For instance, gain-of-function (GOF) variants in the widely expressed Na+-activated K+ channel gene KCNT1 alter basic neurophysiological and synaptic properties of cortical neurons, leading to developmental epileptic encephalopathy. Yet, aside from causing seizures, little is known about how such variants reshape interictal brain activity, and how this relates to epileptic activity and other disease symptoms. To address this knowledge gap, we monitored neural activity across the dorsal cortex in a mouse model of human KCNT1-related epilepsy using in vivo, awake widefield Ca2+ imaging. We observed 52 spontaneous seizures and 1700 interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) in homozygous mutant (Kcnt1m/m) mice, allowing us to map their appearance and spread at high spatial resolution. Outside of seizures and IEDs, we detected ~46,000 events, representing interictal cortical activity, in both Kcnt1m/m and wild-type (WT) mice, and we classified them according to their spatial profiles. Spontaneous seizures and IEDs emerged within a consistent set of susceptible cortical areas, and seizures propagated both contiguously and non-contiguously within these areas in a manner influenced, but not fully determined, by underlying synaptic connectivity. Seizure emergence was predicted by a progressive concentration of total cortical activity within the impending seizure emergence zone. Outside of seizures and IEDs, similar events were detected in WT and Kcnt1m/m mice, suggesting that the spatial structure of interictal activity was largely preserved. Several features of these events, however, were altered in Kcnt1m/m mice. Most event types were briefer, and their intensity more variable, across Kcnt1m/m mice; mice showing more intense activity spent more time in seizure. Furthermore, the rate of events whose spatial profile overlapped with where seizures and IEDs emerged was increased in Kcnt1m/m mice. Taken together, these results demonstrate that an epilepsy-causing K+ channel variant broadly alters physiology. Yet, outside of seizures and IEDs, it acts not to produce novel types of cortical activity, but rather to modulate its amount. The areas where seizures and IEDs emerge show excessively frequent and intense interictal activity and the mean intensity of an individual's cortical activity predicts its seizure burden. These findings provide critical guidance for targeting future research and therapy development.

scholarly journals Cortical neurons exhibit diverse myelination patterns that scale between mouse brain regions and regenerate after demyelination

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cody L. Call ◽  
Dwight E. Bergles
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Axon Diameter ◽  
Neuronal Identity ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Myelin Sheaths ◽  
Parvalbumin Interneurons ◽  
Selection Of

ABSTRACTAxons in the cerebral cortex show a broad range of myelin coverage. Oligodendrocytes establish this pattern by selecting a cohort of axons for myelination; however, the distribution of myelin on distinct neurons and extent of internode replacement after demyelination remain to be defined. Here we show that myelination patterns of seven distinct neuron subtypes in somatosensory cortex are influenced by both axon diameter and neuronal identity. Preference for myelination of parvalbumin interneurons was preserved between cortical areas with varying myelin density, suggesting that regional differences in myelin abundance arises through local control of oligodendrogenesis. By imaging loss and regeneration of myelin sheaths in vivo we show that myelin distribution on individual axons was altered but overall myelin content on distinct neuron subtypes was restored. Our findings suggest that local changes in myelination are tolerated, allowing regenerated oligodendrocytes to restore myelin content on distinct neurons through opportunistic selection of axons.

Evolution of Neocortex for Sensory Processing

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon H. Kaas
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Pyramidal Neurons ◽  
Motor Behavior ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Small Region ◽  
Inhibitory Neurons ◽  
Dorsal Cortex ◽  
Structural Differentiation ◽  
Cortical Areas

The neocortex is a part of the forebrain of mammals that is an innovation of mammal-like “reptilian” synapsid ancestors of early mammals. This neocortex emerged from a small region of dorsal cortex that was present in earlier ancestors and is still found in the forebrain of present-day reptiles. Instead of the thick structure of six layers of cells (five layers) and fibers (one layer) of neocortex of mammals, the dorsal cortex was characterized by a single layer of pyramidal neurons and a scattering of small, largely inhibitory neurons. In reptiles, the dorsal cortex is dominated by visual inputs, with outputs that relate to behavior and memory. The thicker neocortex of six layers in early mammals was already divided into a number of functionally specialized zones called cortical areas that were predominantly sensory in function, while relating to important aspects of motor behavior via subcortical projections. These early sensorimotor areas became modified in various ways as different branches of the mammalian radiation evolved, and neocortex often increased in size and the number of cortical areas, likely by the process of specializations within areas that subdivided areas. At least some areas, perhaps most, subdivided in another way by evolving two or more alternating types of small regions of different functional specializations, now referred to as cortical modules or columns. The specializations within and across cortical areas included those in the sizes of neurons and the extents of their processes, the dendrites and axons, and thus connections with other neurons. As a result, the neocortex of present-day mammals varies greatly within and across phylogenetically related groups (clades), while retaining basic features of organization from early ancestral mammals. In a number of present-day (extant) mammals, brains are relatively small and have little neocortex, with few areas and little structural differentiation, thus resembling early mammals. Other small mammals with little neocortex have specialized some part via selective enlargement and structural modifications to promote certain sensory abilities. Other mammals have a neocortex that is moderately to greatly expanded, with more cortical areas directly related to sensory processing and cognition and memory. The human brain is extreme in this way by having more neocortex in proportion to the rest of the brain, more cortical neurons, and likely more cortical areas.

Regional and Laminar Differences in In Vivo Firing Patterns of Primate Cortical Neurons

2005 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 567-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeru Shinomoto ◽  
Youichi Miyazaki ◽  
Hiroshi Tamura ◽  
Ichiro Fujita
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Temporal Cortex ◽  
Local Variation ◽  
Inferior Temporal Cortex ◽  
Regular Type ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Area Te ◽  
Firing Characteristics

The firing rates of cortical neurons change in time; yet, some aspects of their in vivo firing characteristics remain unchanged and are specific to individual neurons. A recent study has shown that neurons in the monkey medial motor areas can be grouped into 2 firing types, “likely random” and “quasi-regular,” according to a measure of local variation of interspike intervals. In the present study, we extended this analysis to area TE of the inferior temporal cortex and addressed whether this classification applies generally to different cortical areas and whether different types of neurons show different laminar distribution. We found that area TE did consist of 2 groups of neurons with different firing characteristics, one similar to the “likely random” type in the medial motor cortical areas, and the other exhibiting a “clumpy-bursty” firing pattern unique to TE. The quasi-regular type was rarely observed in area TE. The likely random firing type of neuron was more frequently found in layers V–VI than in layers II–III, whereas the opposite was true for the clumpy-bursty firing type. These results show that neocortical areas consist of heterogeneous neurons that differ from one area to another in their basic firing characteristics. Moreover, we show that spike trains obtained from a single cortical neuron can provide a clue that helps to identify its layer localization.

scholarly journals Joint cross-correlation analysis reveals complex, time-dependent functional relationship between cortical neurons and arm electromyograms

2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 2865-2887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Z. Zhuang ◽  
Mikhail A. Lebedev ◽  
Miguel A. L. Nicolelis
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Cross Correlation ◽  
Cortical Activity ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Brain Machine Interfaces ◽  
Dynamic Task ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Arm Reaching ◽  
Cross Correlation Analysis ◽  
Neurophysiological Studies

Correlation between cortical activity and electromyographic (EMG) activity of limb muscles has long been a subject of neurophysiological studies, especially in terms of corticospinal connectivity. Interest in this issue has recently increased due to the development of brain-machine interfaces with output signals that mimic muscle force. For this study, three monkeys were implanted with multielectrode arrays in multiple cortical areas. One monkey performed self-timed touch pad presses, whereas the other two executed arm reaching movements. We analyzed the dynamic relationship between cortical neuronal activity and arm EMGs using a joint cross-correlation (JCC) analysis that evaluated trial-by-trial correlation as a function of time intervals within a trial. JCCs revealed transient correlations between the EMGs of multiple muscles and neural activity in motor, premotor and somatosensory cortical areas. Matching results were obtained using spike-triggered averages corrected by subtracting trial-shuffled data. Compared with spike-triggered averages, JCCs more readily revealed dynamic changes in cortico-EMG correlations. JCCs showed that correlation peaks often sharpened around movement times and broadened during delay intervals. Furthermore, JCC patterns were directionally selective for the arm-reaching task. We propose that such highly dynamic, task-dependent and distributed relationships between cortical activity and EMGs should be taken into consideration for future brain-machine interfaces that generate EMG-like signals.

scholarly journals Mapping cortical mesoscopic networks of single spiking cortical or sub-cortical neurons

eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongsheng Xiao ◽  
Matthieu P Vanni ◽  
Catalin C Mitelut ◽  
Allen W Chan ◽  
Jeffrey M LeDue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Single Neuron ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Cortical Activity ◽  
Cortical Inhibition ◽  
Wide Field ◽  
Spike Triggered Averaging ◽  
Wide Scale ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Understanding the basis of brain function requires knowledge of cortical operations over wide-spatial scales, but also within the context of single neurons. In vivo, wide-field GCaMP imaging and sub-cortical/cortical cellular electrophysiology were used in mice to investigate relationships between spontaneous single neuron spiking and mesoscopic cortical activity. We make use of a rich set of cortical activity motifs that are present in spontaneous activity in anesthetized and awake animals. A mesoscale spike-triggered averaging procedure allowed the identification of motifs that are preferentially linked to individual spiking neurons by employing genetically targeted indicators of neuronal activity. Thalamic neurons predicted and reported specific cycles of wide-scale cortical inhibition/excitation. In contrast, spike-triggered maps derived from single cortical neurons yielded spatio-temporal maps expected for regional cortical consensus function. This approach can define network relationships between any point source of neuronal spiking and mesoscale cortical maps.

scholarly journals Network activity influences the subthreshold and spiking visual responses of pyramidal neurons in the three-layer turtle cortex

2017 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 2142-2155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel C. Wright ◽  
Ralf Wessel
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Potential ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Visual Stimulation ◽  
Cortical Activity ◽  
Network Activity ◽  
Visual Responses ◽  
Up States ◽  
Evoked Activity ◽  
Sensory Evoked

A primary goal of systems neuroscience is to understand cortical function, typically by studying spontaneous and stimulus-modulated cortical activity. Mounting evidence suggests a strong and complex relationship exists between the ongoing and stimulus-modulated cortical state. To date, most work in this area has been based on spiking in populations of neurons. While advantageous in many respects, this approach is limited in scope: it records the activity of a minority of neurons and gives no direct indication of the underlying subthreshold dynamics. Membrane potential recordings can fill these gaps in our understanding, but stable recordings are difficult to obtain in vivo. Here, we recorded subthreshold cortical visual responses in the ex vivo turtle eye-attached whole brain preparation, which is ideally suited for such a study. We found that, in the absence of visual stimulation, the network was “synchronous”; neurons displayed network-mediated transitions between hyperpolarized (Down) and depolarized (Up) membrane potential states. The prevalence of these slow-wave transitions varied across turtles and recording sessions. Visual stimulation evoked similar Up states, which were on average larger and less reliable when the ongoing state was more synchronous. Responses were muted when immediately preceded by large, spontaneous Up states. Evoked spiking was sparse, highly variable across trials, and mediated by concerted synaptic inputs that were, in general, only very weakly correlated with inputs to nearby neurons. Together, these results highlight the multiplexed influence of the cortical network on the spontaneous and sensory-evoked activity of individual cortical neurons. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Most studies of cortical activity focus on spikes. Subthreshold membrane potential recordings can provide complementary insight, but stable recordings are difficult to obtain in vivo. Here, we recorded the membrane potentials of cortical neurons during ongoing and visually evoked activity. We observed a strong relationship between network and single-neuron evoked activity spanning multiple temporal scales. The membrane potential perspective of cortical dynamics thus highlights the influence of intrinsic network properties on visual processing.

scholarly journals Controlled Decompression Attenuates Compressive Injury following Traumatic Brain Injury via TREK-1-Mediated Inhibition of Necroptosis and Neuroinflammation

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Tao Chen ◽  
Xiao Qian ◽  
Jie Zhu ◽  
Li-Kun Yang ◽  
Yu-Hai Wang
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Intracranial Hypertension ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Neuronal Injury ◽  
K Channel ◽  
Protective Effects

Decompressive craniectomy is an effective strategy to reduce intracranial hypertension after traumatic brain injury (TBI), but it is related to many postoperative complications, such as delayed intracranial hematoma and diffuse brain swelling. Our previous studies have demonstrated that controlled decompression (CDC) surgery attenuates brain injury and reduces the rate of complications after TBI. Here, we investigated the potential molecular mechanisms of CDC in experimental models. The in vitro experiments were performed in a traumatic neuronal injury (TNI) model following compression treatment in primary cultured cortical neurons. We found that compression aggravates TNI-induced neuronal injury, which was significantly attenuated by CDC for 2 h or 3 h. The results of immunocytochemistry showed that CDC reduced neuronal necroptosis and activation of RIP3 induced by TNI and compression, with no effect on RIP1 activity. These protective effects were associated with decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines and preserved intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. In addition, the expression of the two-pore domain K+ channel TREK-1 and its activity was increased by compression and prolonged by CDC. Treatment with the TREK-1 blockers, spadin or SID1900, could partially prevent the effects of CDC on intracellular Ca2+ metabolism, necroptosis, and neuronal injury following TNI and compression. Using a traumatic intracranial hypertension model in rats, we found that CDC for 20 min or 30 min was effective in alleviating brain edema and locomotor impairment in vivo. CDC significantly inhibited neuronal necroptosis and neuroinflammation and increased TREK-1 activation, and the CDC-induced protection in vivo was attenuated by spadin and SID1900. In summary, CDC is effective in alleviating compressive neuronal injury both in vitro and in vivo, which is associated with the TREK-1-mediated attenuation of intracellular Ca2+ overload, neuronal necroptosis, and neuroinflammation.

Metabolism and Distribution of Novel Tumor Targeting Drugs In Vivo

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (13) ◽  
pp. 996-1008
Author(s):  
Mengli Wang ◽  
Qiuzheng Du ◽  
Lihua Zuo ◽  
Peng Xue ◽  
Chao Lan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibodies ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Tumor Therapy ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Parameters ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Targeted Drugs

Background: As a new tumor therapy, targeted therapy is becoming a hot topic due to its high efficiency and low toxicity. Drug effects of targeted tumor drugs are closely related to pharmacokinetics, so it is important to understand their distribution and metabolism in vivo. Methods: A systematic review of the literature on the metabolism and distribution of targeted drugs over the past 20 years was conducted, and the pharmacokinetic parameters of approved targeted drugs were summarized in combination with the FDA's drug instructions. Targeting drugs are divided into two categories: small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies. Novel targeting drugs and their mechanisms of action, which have been developed in recent years, are summarized. The distribution and metabolic processes of each drug in the human body are reviewed. Results: In this review, we found that the distribution and metabolism of small molecule kinase inhibitors (TKI) and monoclonal antibodies (mAb) showed different characteristics based on the differences of action mechanism and molecular characteristics. TKI absorbed rapidly (Tmax ≈ 1-4 h) and distributed in large amounts (Vd > 100 L). It was mainly oxidized and reduced by cytochrome P450 CYP3A4. However, due to the large molecular diameter, mAb was distributed to tissues slowly, and the volume of distribution was usually very low (Vd < 10 L). It was mainly hydrolyzed and metabolized into peptides and amino acids by protease hydrolysis. In addition, some of the latest drugs are still in clinical trials, and the in vivo process still needs further study. Conclusion: According to the summary of the research progress of the existing targeting drugs, it is found that they have high specificity, but there are still deficiencies in drug resistance and safety. Therefore, the development of safer and more effective targeted drugs is the future research direction. Meanwhile, this study also provides a theoretical basis for clinical accurate drug delivery.

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