Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 6
S
EIZURE
-I
NDUCED
S
YNAPTIC
P
LASTICITY
:
U
NDERSTANDING
S
YNAPTIC
R
EORGANIZATION
Benedict C. Albensi
*
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba;
St. Boniface Research Centre; Centre on Aging, University of Manitoba,
Health Sciences Centre, Manitoba Institute Child Health (MICH),
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 2A6 Canada
A
BSTRACT
The hippocampus in epilepsy patients exhibits brain plasticity in response to seizure
activity. Experimentally, brain plasticity in animals subjected to kindling or chemically-
induced epilepsy, appears to be related to a long-term potentiation (LTP)-like
reorganization of the neural networks. LTP is a widely accepted model of plasticity that
results in activity-dependent long-term synaptic change and possibly memory encoding.
Studies have further suggested that LTP induction and other activity-induced changes up-
regulate various growth factors and may underlie hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting,
which occurs frequently after repeated seizure activity. This article will highlight
important background information, and discuss experimental models and methods that
are currently being used for modeling plasticity/epilepsy and for profiling gene
expression.
Keywords:
plasticity, LTP, mossy fiber sprouting, epilepsy, kindling, neurotrophin, gene
expression, seizure, hyperexcitability, animal model
*Correspondence: Dr. Benedict C. Albensi; St. Boniface Research Centre Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, 351 Tache Ave./Lab
4050, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 2A6 Canada.
balbensi@sbrc.ca204/235- 3942 office204/237- 4092 fax
