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Dynamical changes in neurons during seizures determine tonic to clonic shift

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Abstract

A tonic-clonic seizure transitions from high frequency asynchronous activity to low frequency coherent oscillations, yet the mechanism of transition remains unknown. We propose a shift in network synchrony due to changes in cellular response. Here we use phase-response curves (PRC) from Morris-Lecar (M-L) model neurons with synaptic depression and gradually decrease input current to cells within a network simulation. This method effectively decreases firing rates resulting in a shift to greater network synchrony illustrating a possible mechanism of the transition phenomenon. PRCs are measured from the M-L conductance based model cell with a range of input currents within the limit cycle. A large network of 3000 excitatory neurons is simulated with a network topology generated from second-order statistics which allows a range of population synchrony. The population synchrony of the oscillating cells is measured with the Kuramoto order parameter, which reveals a transition from tonic to clonic phase exhibited by our model network. The cellular response shift mechanism for the tonic-clonic seizure transition reproduces the population behavior closely when compared to EEG data.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to Bard Ermentrout and Chris Warren for helpful discussions. Funding for this work provided by UMN Grant-In-Aid and NSF CAREER award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Bryce Beverlin II & James Kakalios

  2. Department of Mathematics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Duane Nykamp

  3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Theoden Ivan Netoff

Authors
  1. Bryce Beverlin II
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  2. James Kakalios
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  3. Duane Nykamp
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  4. Theoden Ivan Netoff
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Correspondence to Theoden Ivan Netoff.

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Action Editor: David Terman

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Beverlin, B., Kakalios, J., Nykamp, D. et al. Dynamical changes in neurons during seizures determine tonic to clonic shift. J Comput Neurosci 33, 41–51 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10827-011-0373-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10827-011-0373-5

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