Circuit Mechanisms Underlying Epileptogenesis in a Mouse Model of Focal Cortical Malformation

The way in which aberrant neural circuits contribute to epilepsy remains unclear. To elucidate this question, we dissected the circuit mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis using a mouse model of focal cortical malformation with spontaneous epileptiform discharges. We found that spontaneous spike-wave discharges and optogenetically induced hyperexcitable bursts in vivo were present in a cortical region distal to (>0.7 mm) freeze-lesion-induced microgyrus, instead of near the microgyrus. ChR2-assisted circuit mapping revealed ectopic inter-laminar excitatory input from infragranular layers to layers 2/3 pyramidal neurons as the key component of hyperexcitable circuitry. This hyperactivity disrupted the balance between excitation and inhibition and was more prominent in the cortical region distal to the microgyrus. Consistently, the inhibition from both parvalbumin-positive interneurons (PV) and somatostatin-positive interneurons (SOM) to pyramidal neurons were altered in a layer- and site-specific fashion. Finally, closed-loop optogenetic stimulation of SOM, but not PV, terminated spontaneous spike-wave discharges. Together, these results demonstrate the occurrence of highly site- and cell-type-specific synaptic reorganization underlying epileptic cortical circuits and provide new insights into potential treatment strategies.