Hippocampal epileptiform activity induced by magnesium-free medium: differences between areas CA1 and CA2-3

Hippocampal slices, from which the entorhinal cortex had been removed, were exposed to artificial cerebrospinal fluid containing no magnesium (0-Mg ACSF) to elicit interictal bursts (IIBs) and electrographic seizures (EGSs). In 0-Mg ACSF, IIBs and EGSs occurred in both area CA1 and area CA3. The IIBs in CA3 led the IIBs in CA1 by several milliseconds. The epileptiform bursts occurring during the EGSs seemed to have the opposite relationship, with bursts in CA1 leading those in CA3 by several milliseconds. When the connections between CA1 and CA2-3 were cut, the IIBs ceased in CA1 and continued in CA3. To further characterize the local differences in epileptiform activity, totally separate minislices of area CA1 and area CA2-3 were prepared. In the CA2-3 minislices, a few EGSs occurred and thereafter only persistent IIBs prevailed. Conversely, in the CA1 minislices, many spontaneous EGSs occurred for long periods of time and no IIBs were seen. Periodic stimulation of the CA1 minislices triggered IIBs that suppressed the recurrent EGSs. In the hippocampal slice exposed to low magnesium, IIBs originate in CA2-3 and are propagated to CA1, where they can have a suppressant effect on EGSs. Furthermore, unlike IIBs, the bursts making up the EGSs seem to start in CA1 and invade CA2-3.