Hippocampal CA1 and cortical interictal oscillations in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy

Quantitative electroencephalogram analysis has been increasingly applied to study fine changes in brain oscillations in epilepsy. Here we aimed to evaluate interictal oscillations using pilocarpine model of epilepsy to identify changes in network synchronization. We analyzed the in vivo local field potential of two cortical layers (Ctx1, Ctx2) and hippocampal CA1 (stratum oriens-Ors, pyramidale-Pyr, radiatum-Rad and lacunosum-moleculare-LM) in rats, about 5 weeks after pilocarpine injection. Animals that had status epilepticus (SE) and later spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) (epileptic animals) exhibited higher delta power recorded in cortical and hippocampal Ors, Rad and LM electrodes. They also had lower power of theta in Ctx1, Ctx2, Ors and LM, lower slow gamma in Ctx1, Ctx2 and Ors, and lower middle and fast gamma power in Ors. NSE animals had higher delta and lower slow gamma power in Ctx1 only, and lower theta power in Ctx1, Ctx2 and LM. Essentially, epileptic animals had higher delta coherence between Ctx1-Ors, Ctx2-Ors, Ctx2-Pyr, Pyr-Ors and stronger phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) between delta and all frequencies in Rad. NSE animals, also had higher delta coherence between Ctx1-Ors and Ctx2-Ors with no changes in PAC, suggesting some cortical network reorganization. Our data suggest an increased synchrony in cortex and CA1 of epileptic animals, particularly for delta frequency with intense delta coupling in Rad, probably an important synchronization site. Understanding the rhythms organization at non-ictal state could provide insights about network connectivity involved in ictogenesis and seizure propagation.