Abstract
The population of neurons participating in an epileptiform event varies from moment to moment. Most techniques currently used to localize epileptiform events in vivo have spatial and/or temporal sampling limitations. Here we show in an animal model that optical imaging based on intrinsic signals is an excellent method for in vivo mapping of clinically relevant epileptiform events, such as interictal spikes, ictal onsets, ictal spread and secondary homotopic foci. In addition, a decrease in the optical signal correlates spatially with a decrease in neuronal activity recorded from cortex surrounding an epileptic focus. Optical mapping of epilepsy might be a useful adjunct in the surgical treatment of neocortical epilepsy, which critically depends on the precise localization of intrinsically epileptogenic neurons.
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Acknowledgements
We thank S. Schütt for contributions to the data analysis; F. Sengpiel and M. Hübener for advice throughout the study and, along with A. Kriegstein, for comments on the manuscript; and V. Staiger, I. Kehrer and F. Brinkmann for providing outstanding technical assistance. This work was supported by the Max-Planck Gesellschaft as well as by grants to T.H.S. from the Epilepsy Foundation of America, the van Wagenen Fellowship of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung.
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Schwartz, T., Bonhoeffer, T. In vivo optical mapping of epileptic foci and surround inhibition in ferret cerebral cortex. Nat Med 7, 1063–1067 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0901-1063
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0901-1063
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