CA1 neurons in epileptic animals are vulnerable to selective changes in ion channel expression, called acquired channelopathies, which can increase the excitability of a neuron. Under normal conditions there is a gradient of ion channel expression and intrinsic excitability along the longitudinal, dorsoventral axis of hippocampal area CA1 of the rodent. Many of these channels, including M-channels, GIRK channels and HCN channels, all have dorsoventral expression gradients that might be altered in rodent models of epilepsy. Here, we show that the excitability of dorsal, but not ventral CA1 neurons, had an increased firing rate, reduced interspike interval (ISI) and increased input resistance in a status epilepticus (SE) model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). As a result, the excitability of CA1 neurons became uniform across the dorsoventral axis of the rat hippocampus post-SE. Using current clamp recordings with pharmacology and immunohistochemistry, we demonstrate that the expression of HCN channels was downregulated in the dorsal CA1 region post-SE, while the expression of M and GIRK channels were unchanged. We did not find this acquired channelopathy in ventral CA1 neurons post-SE. Our results suggest that the excitability of dorsal CA1 neurons post-SE increase to resemble the intrinsic properties of ventral CA1 neurons, which likely makes the hippocampal circuit more permissible to seizures, and contributes to the cognitive impairments associated with chronic epilepsy.

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WEEK OF JUNE 26 THautistic adults are more likely than non-autistic ones to have experienced falls, bodily injuries, poisonings and self-harm, in addition to various health conditions, according to a population-based study in Sweden. The Lancet Healthy Longevity An assessment tool that asks children about their participation and engagement in daily activities -a simplified version of "Picture My Participation" -has been validated in a Chinese-speaking population of autistic and non-autistic children. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy Both deletions and duplications of the 22q11.2 chromosomal region can give rise to autism, but they have distinct neurocognitive profiles, according to a preprint. medRxiv An organization that runs 130 autism treatment centers in the United States, funded by a private equity firm, has filed for bankruptcy. Spectrum has previously covered the ramifications of private investment in nursing homes and other care facilities. Reuters A machine-learning technique called 'federated learning' makes it possible to screen datasets for people who may have autism without plugging their information into a centralized server, thereby skirting privacy issues. Scientific Reports Naturalistic environments and situations in the laboratory are helping neuroscientists decode animal behavior. Nature Biotech companies are tackling chromosomal conditions such as Angelman and Phelan-McDermid syndromes. Earlier this year, Spectrum reported on an RNA therapy for Angelman syndrome as modeled in monkeys. Labiotech Two research groups developed synthetic embryos, or embryoids, from human stem cells, prompting ethical concerns. Spectrum reported on embryoids made from mouse stem cells in October. Nature The Swiss drug company Roche has discontinued its work on rugonersen, a gene therapy for Angelman syndrome, after disappointing results from a phase 1 clinical trial.Spectrum covered preclinical data on the therapy in August. FAST U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued its first clinical trial guidelines for

The incident involving Dennis Kivlighan Jr., the editor in chief, and his colleagues will result in a total of 17 retractions across three journals, Spectrum has learned.Kivlighan, professor of counseling psychology at the University of Maryland at College Park, coauthored all eight papers with university colleague Clara Hill, professor of psychology. Charles Gelso, professor emeritus of psychology at the university, also worked on four of the papers. Kivlighan, Hill and Gelso were co-directors of the Maryland Psychotherapy Clinic and Research Lab, where the research was performed. The clinic had shut down as of 1 June, according to the clinic's website, but it is unclear why.