Seizure induction by single-cell control of neural circuits

The impact of seizures on the life of an epilepsy patient is significant. How they start, propagate and terminate remains unknown. Our hypothesis is that seizures develop in the brain when populations of neurons lose their ability to efficiently parse incoming inputs, known as decorrelation. When these neurons are not able to sufficiently decorrelate incoming inputs from other brain regions, they begin to fire in a hyper-synchronous manner leading to seizures. We believe that the inhibitory neurons of the brain (interneurons) have a critical role in this function, and thus in triggering and propagating seizures. The primary innovation that will allow us to begin to study the exact role of these cells in seizures is revolutionary microscopy technology that allows for recording neural activity from a neuronal population and stimulating the same neurons with single-cell resolution control. The primary objectives of my project are to learn this technique, and test which variables of interneuron stimulation control the initiation of a seizure. We hope to gain an understanding into how interneurons might be complicit in the initiation and propagation of seizures in the brain.

Faculty Supervisor:

Taufik Valiante

Student:

Partner:

University of Oxford

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Life Sciences (not health); Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Biotechnology

University:

University of Toronto

Program: