A spatially extended model for macroscopic spike-wave discharges

Abstract

Spike-wave discharges are a distinctive feature of epileptic seizures. So far, they have not been reported in spatially extended neural field models. We study a space-independent version of the Amari neural field model with two competing inhibitory populations. We show that this competition leads to robust spike-wave dynamics if the inhibitory populations operate on different time-scales. The spike-wave oscillations present a fold/homoclinic type bursting. From this result we predict parameters of the extended Amari system where spike-wave oscillations produce a spatially homogeneous pattern. We propose this mechanism as a prototype of macroscopic epileptic spike-wave discharges. To our knowledge this is the first example of robust spike-wave patterns in a spatially extended neural field model.

The emergence of abnormal hypersynchronization in the anatomical structural network of human brain

“…The choice of the model As macroscopic models are very appropriate for describing epileptic processes occurring on large-scale, those models have been widely applied to explore the mechanisms underlying the EEG seizure patterns (Breakspear et al, 2006;Taylor and Baier, 2011;Wang et al, 2012;Wendling et al, 2002). In terms of the spike-wave discharges, an excellent example is the neural mass model proposed by the group of Lopes da Silva (Lopes da Silva et al, 2003).…”

Quantitative theory of driven nonlinear brain dynamics

“…Building on early work (Amari, 1975;Ermentrout and Cowan, 1979;Freeman, 1975;Lopes da Silva et al, 1974;Nunez, 1974;NeuroImage 62 (2012NeuroImage 62 ( ) 1947NeuroImage 62 ( -1955 Wilson and Cowan, 1973), neural field models (Baker and Cowan, 2009;Bressloff et al, 2002;Coombes, 2005;Hutt and Atay, 2005;Jirsa, 2009;Jirsa and Haken, 1996;Pinotsis and Friston, 2011;Pinotsis et al, 2012;Robinson et al, 1997;Taylor and Baier, 2011;Wright and Liley, 1996) and their limiting case of neural mass models (Cosandier-Rimélé et al, 2008;David and Friston, 2003;David et al, 2006;Goodfellow et al, 2011;Jansen and Rit, 1995;Lopes da Silva et al, 2003;Moran et al, 2009;Wendling et al, 2000) have successfully described a broad range of healthy and pathological brain dynamics at the spatial and temporal scales probed by EEGs and magnetoencephalograms. Neural field models have been notably successful in describing spatiotemporal dynamics in visual cortex (Baker and Cowan, 2009;Bressloff et al, 2002;Coombes, 2005;Ermentrout and Cowan, 1979), in particular explaining pattern formation during hallucinations.…”

“…Visual evoked responses to individuallyflashed stimuli have also been studied using neural mass models (David et al, 2006;Jansen and Rit, 1995), and (Spiegler et al, 2011) very recently applied the (Jansen and Rit, 1995) model to study entrainment and other nonlinear features of photic-driven activity. Both classes of model have explained a range of seizure phenomena, relating this pathological activity to healthy dynamics generated by the same models (Breakspear et al, 2006;Cosandier-Rimélé et al, 2008;Goodfellow et al, 2011;Kim et al, 2009;Lopes da Silva et al, 2003;Nevado-Holgado et al, 2012;Roberts and Robinson, 2008;Robinson et al, 2002;Taylor and Baier, 2011;Wendling et al, 2000).…”

Optimal Control of an Epileptic Neural Population Model

“…SWDs are periodic oscillations with a frequency typically slower than that of normal awake EEG. They are frequently associated with absence seizures, myoclonic seizures and complex partial seizures (Taylor and Baier [2011]). …”

“…Brain stimulation via electrodes has been suggested as an alternative therapeutic treatment for epilepsy (Liang et al [2010(Liang et al [ , 2012, Saillet et al [2012]) and has had success in treating other neurological disorders including the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (Limousin et al [1998], Feng et al [2007]). models of SWD on the macroscopic scale at which EEG recordings are made (Breakspear et al [2006], Marten et al [2009], Goodfellow et al [2011], Taylor and Baier [2011], Wang et al [2012], Taylor et al [2013c,a]). Progress on deriving stimuli for seizure abatement for such models, however, has not kept in step with this advancement in model refinement.…”