Thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy: Pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets
Generalized epilepsy affects 24 million people globally; at least 25% of cases remain medically refractory. The thalamus, with widespread connections throughout the brain, plays a critical role in generalized epilepsy. The intrinsic properties of thalamic neurons and the synaptic connections between...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Neurobiology of Disease |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969996123001080 |
| _version_ | 1797827775555436544 |
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| author | Britta E. Lindquist Clare Timbie Yuliya Voskobiynyk Jeanne T. Paz |
| author_facet | Britta E. Lindquist Clare Timbie Yuliya Voskobiynyk Jeanne T. Paz |
| author_sort | Britta E. Lindquist |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Generalized epilepsy affects 24 million people globally; at least 25% of cases remain medically refractory. The thalamus, with widespread connections throughout the brain, plays a critical role in generalized epilepsy. The intrinsic properties of thalamic neurons and the synaptic connections between populations of neurons in the nucleus reticularis thalami and thalamocortical relay nuclei help generate different firing patterns that influence brain states. In particular, transitions from tonic firing to highly synchronized burst firing mode in thalamic neurons can cause seizures that rapidly generalize and cause altered awareness and unconsciousness. Here, we review the most recent advances in our understanding of how thalamic activity is regulated and discuss the gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms of generalized epilepsy syndromes. Elucidating the role of the thalamus in generalized epilepsy syndromes may lead to new opportunities to better treat pharmaco-resistant generalized epilepsy by thalamic modulation and dietary therapy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T12:53:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-68b32fee18894a4b8c80335426cdcd40 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1095-953X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T12:53:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Neurobiology of Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-68b32fee18894a4b8c80335426cdcd402023-05-14T04:28:04ZengElsevierNeurobiology of Disease1095-953X2023-06-01181106094Thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy: Pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targetsBritta E. Lindquist0Clare Timbie1Yuliya Voskobiynyk2Jeanne T. Paz3UCSF Department of Neurology, Division of Pediatric Epilepsy, United States of AmericaGladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, United States of America; UCSF Department of Neurology, Division of Pediatric Epilepsy, United States of AmericaGladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, United States of AmericaGladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, United States of America; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, UCSF, United States of America; Corresponding author at: Gladstone Institutes, 1650 Owens St, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States of America.Generalized epilepsy affects 24 million people globally; at least 25% of cases remain medically refractory. The thalamus, with widespread connections throughout the brain, plays a critical role in generalized epilepsy. The intrinsic properties of thalamic neurons and the synaptic connections between populations of neurons in the nucleus reticularis thalami and thalamocortical relay nuclei help generate different firing patterns that influence brain states. In particular, transitions from tonic firing to highly synchronized burst firing mode in thalamic neurons can cause seizures that rapidly generalize and cause altered awareness and unconsciousness. Here, we review the most recent advances in our understanding of how thalamic activity is regulated and discuss the gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms of generalized epilepsy syndromes. Elucidating the role of the thalamus in generalized epilepsy syndromes may lead to new opportunities to better treat pharmaco-resistant generalized epilepsy by thalamic modulation and dietary therapy.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969996123001080Absence epilepsyBurst firingGeneralized spike-and-wave dischargeOscillationThalamusGenetic generalized epilepsy |
| spellingShingle | Britta E. Lindquist Clare Timbie Yuliya Voskobiynyk Jeanne T. Paz Thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy: Pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets Neurobiology of Disease Absence epilepsy Burst firing Generalized spike-and-wave discharge Oscillation Thalamus Genetic generalized epilepsy |
| title | Thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy: Pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets |
| title_full | Thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy: Pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets |
| title_fullStr | Thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy: Pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy: Pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets |
| title_short | Thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy: Pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets |
| title_sort | thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets |
| topic | Absence epilepsy Burst firing Generalized spike-and-wave discharge Oscillation Thalamus Genetic generalized epilepsy |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969996123001080 |
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