低镁诱发急性海马切片高兴奋性的多电极记录

目的 多电极记录技术在脑片研究的应用已经远远超过了10年,然而该技术却没有广泛地用于癫痫领域的研究。用经典的致痫剂低镁人工脑脊液灌流大鼠急性海马切片,诱导产生癫痫样电活动并用多电极记录技术对其放电特征及内部传导方式进行分析。 方法 用多电极阵列持续记录灌流低镁人工脑脊液后海马各区域的放电情况,并比较切断CA3与CA1区域间的Schaffer氏纤维后各区的放电情况。 结果 在急性海马切片上诱导出自发、同步、癫痫样电活动;CA3区神经元簇发放电持续时间及簇发放电内动作电位的个数与CA1及DG区相比有显著的统计学差异;剪断CA3与CA1间的Schaffer氏纤维后,CA1区的电活动消失,CA3区仍有同步放电,且其自发同步放电的频率与对照组相比无显着改变,但其簇发放电持续时间及簇发放电内动作电位的个数明显降低（P<0.05）。 结论 成功地在多电极上记录到急性海马切片自发、同步、癫痫样电活动;其中CA3区神经元兴奋性最高;在低镁灌流下自发癫痫样电活动起源于CA3区,在剪断Schaffer氏侧支后CA3区神经元群体同步放电的频率的频率没有显着变化。     

神经肽Y对海马神经元“癫痫样”动作电位的影响

目的探讨神经肽Y(neuropeptide Y,NPY)对海马神经元"癫痫样"动作电位的影响。方法用无镁细胞外液处理原代培养12 d的海马神经元3 h,诱导海马神经元癫痫样放电,建立海马神经元癫痫样放电模型;用全细胞膜片钳电流钳模式检测神经元动作电位,分别给予0.1μmol/L和1μmol/L NPY各1μL,给药时间10 s,观察其对神经元动作电位频率及波幅的影响。结果无镁细胞外液处理神经元3 h,可以形成稳定的海马神经元癫痫样放电模型,频率16～23 Hz,波幅75～96 mV。模型组神经元动作电位频率为(18.00±2.32)Hz,而0.1μmol/L和1μmol/L NPY组分别为(4.75±1.04)Hz和(1.50±0.75)Hz。与模型组相比较,两种浓度NPY组均降低了动作电位发放的频率(P<0.05)。模型组神经元动作电位波幅为(82.25±5.17)mV,而0.1μmol/L和1μmol/L NPY组分别为(49.75±2.49)mV和(40.00±2.20)mV。与模型组相比较,两种浓度NPY组均降低了动作电位发放的波幅(P<0.05)。两种浓度NPY之间相比较,也有统计学差异(P<0.05)。1μmol/LNPY明显抑制了动作电位发放的频率和波幅。结论 NPY能够抑制无镁细胞外液诱发的神经元癫痫样电活动,为应用NPY抑制癫痫发作提供了细胞电生理学证据。     

应用脑片红外可视膜片钳技术观察大鼠海马神经元癫痫样放电

目的 应用脑片红外可视膜片钳技术观察大鼠海马神经元癫痫样放电。方法 应用红外微分干涉相差技术和膜片钳技术实时观察40只SD大鼠脑片海马CA1锥体神经元形态（与生物素染色对照）,记录全细胞电流;通过青霉素、藜芦碱、无钙人工脑脊液、无镁人工脑脊液、甲基四乙胺等不同致痫药物胞外灌流,观察其诱发的癫痫活动。结果 红外可视条件下,海马CA1锥体神经元的胞体和树突清晰可见,与生物素染色的细胞形态一致。青霉素、藜芦碱、无钙人工脑脊液、无镁人工脑脊液、甲基四乙胺胞外灌流均可诱发大鼠海马CA1锥体神经元产生癫痫样活动。结论 红外可视膜片钳技术可实时观察神经元形态,有效提高其封接成功率,同时可实时观察不同药物诱发的神经元癫痫样活动。     

电刺激海马CA1区诱导癫痫样电活动的跨半球扩布

目的急性强直电刺激海马CA1区诱导癫痫样电活动跨大脑半球扩布的特征及其发生机制。方法强直电刺激(60Hz,2s,0.4~0.6mA)大鼠右后背HPCCA1基树突区,每隔10min刺激一次,施加10个刺激串。结果(1)双侧CA1区出现原发性单位后放电(同侧36.7%,对侧25.7%);(2)调制双侧CA1区神经元出现爆发式放电(同侧23.3%,对侧8.6%);(3)诱导双侧CA1区深部电图出现原发性网络后放电。结论电刺激诱导的CA1神经元的癫痫相关性电活动与海马癫痫的发生密切相关,可能是海马癫痫跨半球癫痫网络形成的重要机制之一。     

三羟异黄酮对大鼠海马CA1区神经元自发放电的影响

目的研究三羟异黄酮（genistein，GST）对静息状态下的海马脑片神经元活动的影响。方法应用细胞外记录单位放电技术。结果（1）在48个CA1区神经元放电单位给予GST（10，50，100μmol／L）2min，有46个放电单位（95．83％）放电频率明显降低，且呈剂量依赖性；（2）在9个CA1区神经元放电单位上，GST（50μmol／L）的抑制效应可被G蛋白激活的内向整流型钾通道（Gprotein—coupled inwardly rectifying K^＋channels，GIRK）阻断剂（tetraethylammonium，TEA）1mmol／L完全阻断；（3）10个放电单位灌流一氧化氮合酶抑制剂（N^G-nitro—L—arginine methyl ester，L—NAME）50μmol／L，有9个单位（90．0％）放电明显增加，在此基础上灌流GST（50μmol／L）2min，放电被抑制；（4）预先用0．2mmol／L的L—glutamate（L—Glu）灌流海马脑片，11个放电单位放电频率明显增加，表现为癫痫样放电，在此基础上灌流GST（50μmol／L）2min，其癫痫样放电被抑制。结论GST可抑制海马神经元自发放电，并可抑制由L—NAME和L—glutamate诱发的神经元放电。提示GST对中枢神经元通过降低其活动而具有一定程度的保护作用，这种作用与钾电流有关，似与其激动GIRK促进K^＋外流引起细胞膜超极化以及NO产生增加有关。     

多电极记录阵列:在脑片上研究癫痫的新工具

目的 探讨多电极记录应用于癫痫研究的可行性,以及观察多电极应用于癫痫研究的优势.方法 通过多电极记录系统对由低镁高钾诱导的海马切片的癫痫模型进行记录,运用MATLAB进行数据分析.结果 成功建立了低镁高钾诱导的海马切片的癫痫模型,并运用多电极记录到了有效信号.观察到了此癫痫模型的区域特异性及时空表达特异性；初步研究了不同浓度的卡马西平(10 μM,30 μM,100 μM)对此模型的药理学作用,发现10 μM基本不起作用,30 μM能够一定程度上抑制癫痫样放电,100 μM基本上完全抑制了海马切片的癫痫样放电.结论 成功建立了多电极研究癫痫的脑片模型,观察到了多电极记录运用于癫痫研究及药物研究的优势.     

体外癫(癎)微环境下神经干细胞发育的初步研究

目的 探讨神经干细胞在癫痫微环境下能否发育为“癫痫神经元”。方法“无镁”外液处理神经元建立“癫痫神经元”模型。将绿色荧光蛋白标记的神经干细胞分别与正常海马神经元、“癫痫神经元”共培养，应用膜片钳记录干细胞的突触后电位，利用免疫荧光检测干细胞突触素抗体染色情况。将神经干细胞分化神经元放入“无镁”外液，应用膜片钳记录其突触后电位。结果 在“无镁”细胞外液处理3h后恢复正常细胞外液培养14d，神经元仍存在自发的“癫痫样放电”。干细胞与“癫痫神经元”共培养时，免疫荧光结果示80％干细胞突触素染色阳性，膜片钳记录到干细胞12次／5min兴奋性突触后电位。在“无镁”外液中，60％干细胞分化神经元出现14次／5min时程约10s的兴奋性突触后电位，未记录到“癫痫样放电”。结论 干细胞能够与周围神经元形成功能性突触；干细胞在癫痫微环境下转变成“癫痫神经元”的可能性极小。     

耐药性颞叶内侧癫痫发作前期海马脑电特征分析

目的 观察耐药性颞叶内侧癫痫患者发作前期海马电极脑电活动特点,为判断和切除癫痫病灶提供神经电生理学依据.方法 对16例非侵入性手段难以明确病灶的耐药性颞叶内侧癫痫患者进行双侧海马电极监测,患者停用抗癫痫药在非麻醉状态下监测48～72 h,分析癫痫发作前期海马电极脑电图资料,探讨耐药性颞叶内侧癫痫发作前期海马电极脑电活动特点.结果 16例发作间期记录到背景活动基础上出现局限于某几个电极点的阵发性高幅慢波1例、发作性快波节律1例、棘波或棘尖慢复合波14例,视为异常脑电活动;经过48～ 72 h监测,10例监测到33次临床癫痫发作,发作起始期海马电极均可记录到清晰可辨的癫痫样脑电波形.结论 颞叶内侧癫痫临床发作起始期海马电极癫痫样放电清晰可辨,部位局限,易于确定癫痫性活动起源部位.对于非侵入性手段难以判断癫痫样放电起源的颞叶内侧癫痫可采用脑立体定向技术植入海马深部电极进行脑电监测.     

神经肽Y对海马神经元兴奋性突触活动的影响

目的观察神经肽Y(NPY)对体外培养海马神经元兴奋性突触活动的影响。方法 Wistar大鼠海马神经元体外原代培养,无镁细胞外液处理3h,建立稳定的海马神经元癫痫样放电模型,应用全细胞膜片钳记录技术,观察不同浓度NPY对海马神经元自发兴奋性突触后电流(sEPSCs)的影响。结果 (1)体外培养12d的海马神经元轮廓清晰,折光性良好,彼此间广泛突触联系形成,适于神经元电生理试验。(2)癫痫组神经元sEPSCs发放频率(28.826±1.254HZ)高于对照组(1.296±0.241HZ),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。0.1μmol NPY组sEPSCs的频率为0.895±0.146HZ;1μmol NPY组频率为0.461±0.394HZ,与癫痫组(28.826±1.254HZ)相比,均有明显降低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。0.1μmol NPY组的频率降低的程度小于1μmol NPY组神经元,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。sEPSCs幅度各组相比无明显差异(P>0.05)。结论 NPY能够抑制癫痫神经元sEPSCs的频率,而不影响幅度,这为NPY基因治疗癫痫提供了电生理学证据。     

杏仁核注射KA诱导的边缘叶发作致海马神经元凋亡及黄芩苷干预研究

目的:建立杏仁核注射红藻氨酸(kainic acid,KA)诱导的大鼠边缘叶发作模型,检测特异性脑电活动和脑血流与海马神经元凋亡的关系,以及黄芩苷对神经元损伤的保护作用.方法:采用脑立体定位注射技术,杏仁核注射KA诱导癫痫发作,以深部电极持续记录脑电和激光多普勒血流测定仪记录局部脑血流(regional cerebral blood flow,r-CBF),发作1h后静脉注射30 mg/kg安定终止发作,TUNEL染色观察应用黄芩苷和非用药组海马神经元的变化.结果:药物注射15～20 min后动物均有癫痫发作,脑电图有高频高波伏丛集棘波,发作终止8 h时,同侧海马CA3区出现TUNEL染色阳性细胞,24 h达高峰,72 h下降.黄芩苷治疗后TUNEL染色阳性细胞数明显减少.发作前后r-CBF无明显变化.高频高波伏丛集棘波时程越长,CA3区TUNEL染色阳性细胞越多.结论:癫痫发作导致选择性海马CA3区神经元凋亡,可能与特异性脑电活动有关,但与脑缺血无关.黄芩苷对癫痫发作导致的脑损伤有保护作用.     

Do Interictal Discharges Promote or Control Seizures? Experimental Evidence from an In Vitro Model of Epileptiform Discharge

Summary: Interictal and ictal discharges are recorded from limbic structures in temporal lobe epilepsy patients. In clinical practice, interictal spikes are used to localize the epileptogenic area, but they also are assumed to promote ictal events. Here I review data obtained from combined slices of mouse hippocampus–entorhinal cortex that indicate an inverse relation between interictal and ictal events. In this preparation, application of 4-aminopyridine or Mg²⁺-free medium induce (a) interictal discharges that originated from CA3 and propagate (via the Schaffer collaterals) to CA1 and entorhinal cortex, to return to the hippocampus through the dentate area; and (b) ictal discharges that initiate in the entorhinal cortex and propagate to the hippocampus via the dentate gyrus. Interictal activity occurs throughout the experiment (up to 6 h), whereas ictal discharges disappear after 1–2 h. Schaffer collateral cut abolishes interictal discharges in CA1, entorhinal cortex, and dentate and reestablishes entorhinal ictal discharges. Moreover, ictal discharge generation in the entorhinal cortex after Schaffer collateral cut is prevented by mimicking CA3 activity with rhythmic electrical stimulation of CA1 outputs. Thus hippocampal interictal activity controls the ability of the entorhinal cortex to generate seizures. It also may be proposed that Schaffer collateral cut may model the epileptic condition in which CA3 damage results in loss of hippocampal control over the entorhinal cortex. In conclusion, these experiments demonstrate that interictal activity controls rather than promotes ictal events, and functional integrity of CA3 constitutes a critical control mechanism in temporal lobe epilepsy.     

Interictal-ictal interactions and limbic seizure generation.

Interictal discharges are used in clinical practice to localize the epileptogenic focus in patients with partial epilepsy. However, the interaction between interictal and ictal discharges remains debatable. For instance, interictal events may lead to seizure onset in some models of epileptiform discharge. By contrast, in other models, disappearance of interictal activity (for example by activation of GABAB receptors) induces or potentiates ictal events. We have recently obtained new evidence for a control exerted by interictal discharges on ictal activity in rodent combined slices of hippocampus-entorhinal cortex. In this preparation continuous application of 4-aminopyridine induces: (i) interictal activity which initiates in CA3 and propagates via CA1 and subiculum to the entorhinal cortex, and return to the hippocampus through the dentate gyrus; and (ii) ictal discharges, which originate in the entorhinal cortex and propagate via the dentate gyrus to the hippocampus. Ictal discharges disappear over time, while synchronous interictal discharges continue to occur. Lesioning the Schaffer collaterals abolishes interictal discharges in CA1, entorhinal cortex and dentate gyrus and discloses entorhinal ictal discharges that propagate, via the dentate gyrus, to the CA3 subfield. Interictal activity of CA3 origin also prevents the occurrence of ictal events recorded in the entorhinal cortex in Mg(2+)-free medium. Moreover, in both models, ictal discharge generation in the entorhinal cortex after Schaffer collateral cut is prevented by mimicking CA3 activity through rhythmic electrical stimulation of CA1 hippocampal outputs. Hence, our data demonstrate that hippocampus interictal discharges control the expression of electrographic seizures in entorhinal cortex. Sectioning the Schaffer collaterals may model the epileptic condition in which cell damage in the CA3 subfield results in loss of CA3 control over the entorhinal cortex. Hence, the functional integrity of hippocampal CA3 neurons may represent a critical control point in temporal lobe epilepsy.     

Low magnesium epileptogenesis in the rat hippocampal slice: electrophysiological and pharmacological features

Extra- and intracellular recording techniques were used to study the epileptiform activity generated by rat hippocampal slices perfused with Mg2(+)-free artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF). This procedure induced in both CA1 and CA3 subfields the appearance of synchronous, spontaneously occurring epileptiform discharges which consisted of extracellularly recorded 100-800 ms long, positive shifts with superimposed negative going population spikes. Simultaneous, extracellular recordings from CA1 and CA3 subfields revealed that the epileptiform discharges in CA3 preceded those occurring in CA1 by 5-25 ms. Surgical separation of the two areas led to the disappearance of spontaneous events in the CA1 but not in the CA3 subfield. In this type of experiment CA1 pyramidal cells still generated epileptiform discharges following orthodromic stimuli. The intracellular counterpart of both spontaneous and stimulus-induced epileptiform discharges in CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cells was a large amplitude depolarization with high frequency discharge of action potentials which closely resembled the paroxysmal depolarizing shift recorded in the experimental epileptogenic focus. A hyperpolarizing potential triggered by alvear stimuli was recorded in CA1 cells perfused with Mg2(+)-free ACSF. This hyperpolarization was blocked by bicuculline methiodide (BMI) indicating that it represented a GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP). BMI also caused a prolongation of both spontaneous and stimulus-induced Mg(+)-free epileptiform discharges. Perfusion of the slices with the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist DL-2-amino-5-phosphono-valerate (APV) reduced and eventually abolished the Mg(+)-free epileptiform discharges. These effects were more pronounced in the CA1 than in the CA3 subfield. APV also reduced the amplitude and the duration of the alveus-induced IPSP. These data demonstrate that Mg(+)-free epileptiform activity is present in the hippocampal slice at a time when inhibitory GABAergic potentials are operant as well as that in the CA1 subfield this type of epileptiform activity is dependent upon NMDA-activated conductances. Our experiments also indicate that NMDA receptors might be involved in the neuronal circuit responsible for the hyperpolarizing IPSP generated by CA1 pyramidal neurons.     

Effect of Kainic Acid on Unit Discharge in CA1 Area of Hippocampal Slice of DBA and C57 Mice

Summary: Spontaneous unit discharges in stratum pyramidale of CA1 area of hippocampal slices from DBA and CS7 mice at different ages were recorded extracellularly. The average rate and amplitude of the spontaneous discharges from CA1 area of hippocampal slices bathed in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) were not different between DBA and CS7 mice at either 3–4 or 5–6 weeks of age. Bath application of kainic acid (KA) in concentrations of 0·5–1·0 μM produced different responses in CA1 area from these two strains of mice. In DBA mice at age 3–4 weeks, when they are most susceptible to audiogenic seizures, KA perfusion induced high-frequency repetitive single spikes and bursts of multiple population spikes in CA1 area. Very high-frequency discharges (10-fold higher than most responses) were also observed in 20% of all slices. In audiogenic seizure resistant CS7 mice at age 3–4 weeks, KA perfusion at the same doses induced only the repetitive single spikes. The rate of spontaneous discharges was much lower than that in DBA mice. No burst of multiple population spikes nor very high-frequency responses were recorded in CS7 mice. At age 5–6 weeks, when both DBA and CS7 mice are resistant to audiogenic seizures, the rate of spontaneous discharges recorded from the CAI area during and after KA perfusion was lower than that at age 3–4 weeks, and there was no significant difference between DBA and CS7 mice. Pretreatment of hippocampal slices with AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist CNQX (10 pA4) markedly reduced the rate and amplitude of spontaneous discharges in CA1 area during and after KA perfusion, whereas competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist D-APS had no effect. These results indicate that the responses in spontaneous discharges recorded extracellularly from stratum pyramidale in CA1 area of hippocampal slices to KA perfusion correlate with susceptibility to audiogenic seizures in DBA and CS7 mice.     

Progressive, potassium-sensitive epileptiform activity in hippocampal area CA3 of pilocarpine-treated rats with recurrent seizures

Rat hippocampal area CA3 pyramidal cells synchronously discharge in rhythmic bursts of action potentials after acute disinhibition or convulsant treatment in vitro. These burst discharges resemble epileptiform activity, and are of interest because they may shed light on mechanisms underlying limbic seizures. However, few studies have examined CA3 burst discharges in an animal model of epilepsy, because a period of prolonged, severe seizures (status epilepticus) is often used to induce the epileptic state, which can lead to extensive neuronal loss in CA3. Therefore, the severity of pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus was decreased with anticonvulsant treatment to reduce damage. Rhythmic burst discharges were recorded in the majority of slices from these animals, between two weeks and nine months after status epilepticus. The incidence and amplitude of bursts progressively increased with time after status, even after spontaneous behavioral seizures had begun. The results suggest that modifying the pilocarpine models of temporal lobe epilepsy to reduce neuronal loss leads to robust network synchronization in area CA3. The finding that these bursts increase long after spontaneous behavioral seizures begin supports previous arguments that temporal lobe epilepsy exhibits progressive pathophysiology.     

Epileptiform activity induced by 4-aminopyridine in entorhinal cortex hippocampal slices of rats with a genetically determined absence epilepsy (GAERS)

Patients with absence epilepsy frequently develop convulsions later in life. We were therefore interested whether tissue from rats with a genetic absence epilepsy is more prone to seizure generation than normal animals. We compared the epileptiform activities induced by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) induced in hippocampal–entorhinal cortex slices from genetic absence epilepsy rats of Strasbourg (GAERS, age 6 months) in which absence seizures have been present for about 4 months and from control non epileptic rats (NE). 4-AP induced short recurrent discharges in area CA1 of rat hippocampus, seizure-like events and interictal discharges in the entorhinal cortex. The various epileptiform discharges did not differ between the two strains in amplitude, duration and frequency. However, the latency for induction of different epileptiform activities by 50 μM 4-AP was significantly shorter in GAERS (about 16 min) than in NE rats (about 25 min). We also analysed differences in evoked field potentials (fp) in hippocampal area CA1 before, during and after application of 4-AP. Before application of 4-AP, responses to stimulation of Schaffer collateral were smaller in GAERS than in NE rats. Paired pulse potentiation was significantly larger in GAERS than in NE rats. 4-AP in the bath augmented the size of the evoked field potentials and this increase was larger in GAERS than in NE rats. Our findings show a greater excitability of hippocampal area CA1 in GAERS rats and a greater ability to develop 4-AP-induced epileptiform activity in combined hippocampal–enthorhinal cortex slices in GAERS than in NE rats.     

The antiepileptic activity of JSTX-3 is mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in human hippocampal neurons

We analyzed the effect of the acylpolyaminetoxin JSTX-3 on the epileptogenic discharges induced by perfusion of human hippocampal slices with artificial cerebrospinal fluid lacking Mg2+ or N-methyl-D-aspartate. Hippocampi were surgically removed from patients with refractory medial temporal lobe epilepsy, sliced in the surgical room and taken to the laboratory immersed in normal artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Epileptiform activity was induced by perfusion with Mg2+-free artificial cerebrospinal fluid or by iontophoretically applied N-methyl-D-aspartate and intracellular and field recordings of CA1 neurons were performed. The ictal-like discharges induced by Mg2+-free artificial cerebrospinal fluid and N-methyl-D-aspartate were blocked by incubation with JSTX-3. This effect was similar to that obtained with the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist DL (-)2-amino-5 phosphonovaleric acid. Our findings suggest that in human hippocampal neurons, the antiepileptic effect of JSTX-3 is mediated by its action on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor.     

Role of the hippocampal-entorhinal loop in temporal lobe epilepsy: extra- and intracellular study in the isolated guinea pig brain in vitro.

This article introduces a new experimental paradigm for the study of temporal lobe epilepsy. This approach utilizes the isolated guinea pig brain in vitro preparation, which generates a pattern of hypersynchronous neuronal activity similar to the peculiar 8-30 Hz rhythm characterizing stereoelectroencephalographic hippocampal recordings in human temporal lobe epilepsy. The present report describes an attempt to identify the functional events underlying the epileptiform activities observed in this preparation. Rhythmic epileptiform discharges (EDs), here defined as population spikes (PSs) recorded from somata or dendritic layers, were induced in the hippocampal formation of the isolated guinea pig brain maintained in vitro by tetanic stimulation of the entorhinal cortex (EC). Two patterns of EDs were distinguished by performing simultaneous field potential recordings along the dentate gyrus (DG), EC, CA1, and CA3. During stage 1, the first self-sustained EDs were isolated PSs occurring at a frequency of 2-3 Hz at all levels of the entorhinal-hippocampal loop, the only exception being the DG, where no signs of synchronized neuronal discharge could be found. Over the next 30-50 sec, the temporal organization of these EDs changed dramatically. During stage 2, at all levels of the entorhinal-hippocampal loop, EDs occurred in 0.3-0.5 sec trains of 16-25 Hz population spikes interrupted by 0.7-1.3 sec silent periods. The transition between stages 1 and 2 coincided with the occurrence of population spikes in the DG. Laminar analyses and multiple simultaneous field potential recordings revealed that the trains of EDs observed in stage 2 resulted from the repetitive, sequential activation of the hippocampal-entorhinal loop. In the transverse axis, the earliest event usually occurred in the CA3 region. Thereafter, population spikes occurred sequentially in the CA1 region, EC, DG, and back to the CA3 region. Intracellular recordings confirmed that the EDs recorded extracellularly resulted from the synchronous activation of the cells in phase with the locally recorded field potentials. Dentate granule cells, layer II entorhinal cells, as well as CA1 pyramids displayed large-amplitude EPSPs crowned by an isolated action potential phase locked to the locally recorded field potential. In contrast, the activity of CA3 pyramids consisted of typical paroxysmal depolarization shifts on which bursts of action potentials of decreasing amplitude were observed. These results suggest that reentrant loop activity in the hippocampal-entorhinal circuit represents the central event in the functional organization of hippocampal epileptic discharges.