Reversal of epileptic state by patterned electrical stimulation suggested by trion model calculations

Abstract

The trion model is based on the Mountcastle columnar organizational principle of cortex. A trion represents an idealized minicolumn with three levels of firing activity and is highly structured in time and in spatial connections. A network of trions has a large repertoire of quasi-stable, periodic spatial-temporal firing patterns, MPs, which can be excited and each MP can be readily enhanced by a Hebb learning rule. A particular MP present in most repertoires has all trions firing together in synchrony, which we identify as the ‘Epileptic’ MP (EMP). In trion model simulations> the EMP can be enhanced via the Hebb rule after electrical stimulation so that an epileptic focus with after discharge (about 3-6 Hz) is formed and spontaneous firing of the EMP occurs (as in kindling). Following this, by using a small array of closely-spaced stimulating, electrodes out of phase, other MPs are enhanced via the Hebb rule eliminating the dominance of the EMP. We strongly urge that these predictions be tested in the animal models for possible clinical relevance.

Key Words::

• Epilepsy
• epileptic focus
• out of phase stimulation
• Hebb learning
• cortical column