Seizure Engram

项目总结/摘要 癫痫发作可以被表征为跨大脑的神经元的协调和同步活动， 很长一段时间我们假设，与其他正常的大脑控制行为一样，癫痫发作 不是由神经元的随机活动引起的，而是由特定的、有组织的大脑网络的活动引起的。 我们的首要目标是阐明大脑中这种特定的神经网络，并提供遗传学上的信息。 神经调节特异性地针对这样的用于定制的癫痫发作抑制的癫痫发生网络。在我们 我们首先在急性和慢性啮齿类动物中识别出构成癫痫网络的所有关键脑细胞。 癫痫模型然后，我们将操纵这样一个网络来阻止癫痫发作。 我们将识别和可视化大脑结构和细胞负责在整个大脑中产生癫痫发作 通过利用复杂的基因表达技术用荧光蛋白标签标记这些细胞， 转基因小鼠（具体目标1）。当神经元表现出 在癫痫发作期间，系统中存在化学物质时的广泛活动。这个标签程序 将被重复，以检查是否相同的神经元群体在两个单独的事件中变得活跃。 癫痫发作将通过荧光显微镜检查用荧光报告物标记的细胞。 两次癫痫发作之间神经元的重叠标记将支持我们的假设，即同一子集 反复参与癫痫发作的产生。 然后，我们将采用类似的策略，将遗传神经调节传递给神经元生成网络 （具体目标2）。我们设计了一种病毒载体，它携带一种分子工具，当 将激活药物注射到动物体内。这种病毒载体将被注射到大脑中负责 在我们将使用的啮齿动物癫痫模型中产生癫痫发作。我们预计，这种操纵将 抑制随后的癫痫发作。 我们的假说认为癫痫发作是大脑中的一个网络功能。与鲁棒 网络特异性抑制癫痫小鼠模型中的癫痫发作，这将改变我们看待和 治疗这种疾病。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Epileptic seizures can be characterized as concerted and synchronized activity of neurons across the brain for an extended period of time. We hypothesize that, as for other normal brain-controlled behavior, epileptic seizures are not caused by random activity of neurons, but rather arise from activity in a specific, organized brain network. Our overarching goal is to elucidate such a seizure-specific network in the brain and to deliver genetic neuromodulation specifically to such a seizure-generating network for tailored seizure suppression. In our proposal, we first identify all the critical brain cells that make up that seizure network in acute and chronic rodent models of epilepsy. Then, we will manipulate such a network to stop seizure occurrence. We will identify and visualize brain structures and cells responsible for generation of seizures in the whole brain by labeling these cells with a fluorescent protein tag utilizing sophisticated gene expression techniques in genetically modified mice (Specific Aim 1). This seizure-specific labelling of neurons occurs when they exhibit extensive activity in the presence of a chemical in the system during a seizure episode. This labelling procedure will be repeated to examine if the same neuronal populations become active in two separate episodes of seizures. The cells labeled with the fluorescence reporter will be examined by fluorescence microscopy. Overlapped labelling of neurons between two seizure episodes will support our hypothesis that the same subset of neurons is repeatedly involved in generation of seizures. We will then employ a similar strategy to deliver genetic neuromodulation to a seizure-generating network (Specific Aim 2). We engineered a viral vector that carries a molecular tool that suppress neuronal activity when an activating drug is injected into the animal. This viral vector will be injected into a brain region responsible for generation of seizures in the rodent models of epilepsy we will use. We expect that such manipulation will suppress subsequent seizures. Our hypothesis views and treats epileptic seizures as a network function in the brain. Together with robust network-specific suppression of seizures in mouse models of epilepsy, this will change the way we view and treat this disease.