Changes in the colocalization of glutamate ionotropic receptor subunits in the human epileptic temporal lobe cortex

Double-labeling immunocytochemical techniques and confocal microscopy were used to quantify possible differences in the degree of colocalization of glutamate ionotropic receptor subunits between non-spiking and spiking neocortex removed from temporal lobe epileptic patients. Spiking neocortex was characterized by laminar-specific changes in the number of cells immunoreactive for NMDAR1, GluR2/3 and GluR5/6/7 subunits, as well as the percentage of cells which colocalized various combinations of these receptors. These changes may lead to profound modifications in the functioning of excitatory synaptic circuits in spiking cortex.