Abnormally enhanced glutamatergic excitation is commonly believed to mark the onset of a focal seizure. This notion, however, is not supported by firm evidence, and it will be challenged here. A general reduction of unit firing has been indeed observed in association with low-voltage fast activity at the onset of seizures recorded during presurgical intracranial monitoring in patients with focal, drug-resistant epilepsies. Moreover, focal seizures in animal models start with increased c-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneuronal activity that silences principal cells. In vitro studies have shown that synchronous activation of GABAA receptors occurs at seizure onset and causes sizeable elevations in extracellular potassium, thus facilitating neuronal recruit- ment and seizure progression. A paradoxical involvement of GABAergic networks is required for the initiation of focal seizures characterized by low-voltage fast activity, which represents the most common seizure-onset pattern in focal epilepsies. KEY WORDS: Focal seizures, Inhibitory networks, GABA, Ictogenesis.

GABAergic networks jump-start focal seizures / De Curtis, Marco; Avoli, Massimo. - In: EPILEPSIA. - ISSN 0013-9580. - STAMPA. - 57:5(2016), pp. 679-687. [10.1111/epi.13370]

GABAergic networks jump-start focal seizures

AVOLI, Massimo
2016

Abstract

Abnormally enhanced glutamatergic excitation is commonly believed to mark the onset of a focal seizure. This notion, however, is not supported by firm evidence, and it will be challenged here. A general reduction of unit firing has been indeed observed in association with low-voltage fast activity at the onset of seizures recorded during presurgical intracranial monitoring in patients with focal, drug-resistant epilepsies. Moreover, focal seizures in animal models start with increased c-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneuronal activity that silences principal cells. In vitro studies have shown that synchronous activation of GABAA receptors occurs at seizure onset and causes sizeable elevations in extracellular potassium, thus facilitating neuronal recruit- ment and seizure progression. A paradoxical involvement of GABAergic networks is required for the initiation of focal seizures characterized by low-voltage fast activity, which represents the most common seizure-onset pattern in focal epilepsies. KEY WORDS: Focal seizures, Inhibitory networks, GABA, Ictogenesis.
2016
Focal seizures; GABA; Ictogenesis; Inhibitory networks; Neurology (clinical); Neurology
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
GABAergic networks jump-start focal seizures / De Curtis, Marco; Avoli, Massimo. - In: EPILEPSIA. - ISSN 0013-9580. - STAMPA. - 57:5(2016), pp. 679-687. [10.1111/epi.13370]
File allegati a questo prodotto
File Dimensione Formato  
DeCurtis_GABAergic_2016.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (versione pubblicata con il layout dell'editore)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 1.13 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.13 MB Adobe PDF

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/944464
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 41
  • Scopus 98
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 90
social impact