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Rodent and human seizures demonstrate a dynamic interplay with spreading depolarizations

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Andrew Trevelyan, Dr Ryley Parrish

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

© 2025 The AuthorsSeizure termination has been linked to spreading depolarizations (SDs) in experimental models of epilepsy, and SDs have been suggested to protect against seizures. However, the precise mechanisms of seizure-associated SDs remain unclear. Additionally, the co-occurrence of SDs with human seizures remains debated. In this study, we found that SDs are a prominent feature following ictal events in both human clinical recordings and in a rodent model of ictogenesis. Approximately one-third of rodent seizure-like events (SLEs) associated with SDs, while all human seizures analyzed associated with propagating infraslow shifts, indicative of SDs. In rodents, SDs clustered towards the end of ictal events, resulting in significantly shorter SLEs and delayed onset of subsequent SLEs. Interestingly, SLEs with SDs displayed significantly more low gamma activity during ictal events than SLEs that did not end in SDs. Furthermore, we found no significant correlation between [K+]o levels and the likelihood of SLEs ending in SDs, questioning the role of [K+]o in SD induction during seizures. Interestingly, the human data demonstrate clear SD propagation during seizures and show that SDs appear and propagate in multiple brain regions simultaneously with ictal events. Collectively, these results indicate that SDs are a hallmark of ictal activity associated with seizure termination. Furthermore, these findings provide unique insight into the neuronal dynamics that promote SD induction by showing that increased low gamma activity during SLEs is more predictive of SD induction than [K+]o levels. Taken together, these findings provide rationale for further exploration of SDs to prematurely terminate life-threatening seizures.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Norby JH, Hummel D, Ricks N, Rolston J, Rahimpour S, Cowan R, Voipio J, Trevelyan AJ, Smith EH, Parrish RR

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Neurobiology of Disease

Year: 2025

Volume: 211

Print publication date: 01/07/2025

Online publication date: 08/05/2025

Acceptance date: 29/04/2025

Date deposited: 21/05/2025

ISSN (print): 0969-9961

ISSN (electronic): 1095-953X

Publisher: Academic Press Inc.

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2025.106937

DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2025.106937

Data Access Statement: The data and code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon request.


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
Brigham Young University Colleges of Life Sciences
Medical Research Council (UK)
the Brain Research Foundation

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