Burst suppression uncovers rapid widespread alterations in network excitability caused by an acute seizure focus.

TitleBurst suppression uncovers rapid widespread alterations in network excitability caused by an acute seizure focus.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsLiou J-Y, Baird-Daniel E, Zhao M, Daniel A, Schevon CA, Ma H, Schwartz TH
JournalBrain
Date Published2019 Aug 22
ISSN1460-2156
Abstract

Burst suppression is an electroencephalogram pattern of globally symmetric alternating high amplitude activity and isoelectricity that can be induced by general anaesthetics. There is scattered evidence that burst suppression may become spatially non-uniform in the setting of underlying pathology. Here, we induced burst suppression with isoflurane in rodents and then created a neocortical acute seizure focus with injection of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) in somatosensory cortex. Burst suppression events were recorded before and after creation of the focus using bihemispheric wide-field calcium imaging and multielectrode arrays. We find that the seizure focus elicits a rapid alteration in triggering, initiation, and propagation of burst suppression events. Compared with the non-seizing brain, bursts are triggered from the thalamus, initiate in regions uniquely outside the epileptic focus, elicit marked increases of multiunit activity and propagate towards the seizure focus. These findings support the rapid, widespread impact of focal epilepsy on the extended brain network.

DOI10.1093/brain/awz246
Alternate JournalBrain
PubMed ID31436790