Studies on Epileptic Activities of the Brain Surprisingly Helped In Better Understanding of Learning and Memory

A unique experimental model of the brain has been developed in the Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology. This in vitro preparation can be called a model of the brain, at least of one of its most important structures called hippocampus. It allows all hippocampal neurons to work as they would in the whole, intact brain while the researchers manipulate selected parts of the preparation more freely and watch the neuronal activities more closely.

Inmed, Marseilles, France (PRWEB) May 13, 2005 -- One of the fundamental discoveries obtained using this model is that, as put by the authors, "Seizures beget seizures." This finding is very important to all neurophysiologists and not only to those studying epilepsy. Here is why.

As we all probably know, the brain as a symmetrical organ and this is true not only for the left and right "big" hemispheres but also for practically all minor structures located deep inside, including the hippocampus.

The model developed by Inmed's researcher I. Khalilov consists of two halves of isolated left and right parts of hippocampus connected by a kind of nerve bundle. All parts can work together and each one be controlled separately.

When epileptic hyperactivity is being induced in one of the hippocampal parts, a mirror epileptic focus of neuronal "seizures" occurs in the another symmetrical part. It is then possible to disconnect the halves by temporarily applying a chemical that blocks the connection between the halves. Amazingly, the mirror focus of hyperactivity on the intact side remains, though the neurons there are completely "healthy"! They seem to learn to work hyperactively and as long as they remember the task they can't stop.

Studying individual neurons in the preparation, researchers discovered that the acquired neuronal hyperactivity is similar to the behavior of developing neuronal networks before birth and shortly after.

Ben-Ari, Inmed's director, concluded that a better understanding of these developmental processes would enable to researchers and clinical neurologists "to make better predictions of the deleterious consequences" of neuronal hyperactivities on different stages of brain development.

This project resulted in an article published by the Nature Neuroscience journal.

More information in English: http://inmednet.com/Research.html
http://inmednet.com/2005-conference.html

In French:
http://officialinmed.com/Discoveries-fr.html
http://officialinmed.com/conferences-fr.html

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