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- Title
Network Bistability Mediates Spontaneous Transitions between Normal and Pathological Brain States.
- Authors
Fröhlich, Flavio; Sejnowski, Terrence J.; Bazhenov, Maxim
- Abstract
Little is known about how cortical networks support the emergence of remarkably different activity patterns. Physiological activity interspersed with epochs of pathological hyperactivity in the epileptic brain represents a clinically relevant yet poorly understood case of such rich dynamic repertoire. Using a realistic computational model, we demonstrate that physiological sparse and pathological tonicclonic activity may coexist in the same cortical network for identical afferent input level. Transient perturbations in the afferent input were sufficient to switch the network between these two stable states. The effectiveness of the potassium regulatory apparatus determined the stability of the physiological state and the threshold for seizure initiation. Our findings contrast with the common notions of (1) pathological brain activity representing dynamic instabilities and (2) necessary adjustments of experimental conditions to elicit different network states. Rather, we propose that the rich dynamic repertoire of cortical networks may be based on multistabilities intrinsic to the network.
- Subjects
BRAIN; EPILEPSY; PATHOLOGY; SPASMS; POTASSIUM in the body
- Publication
Journal of Neuroscience, 2010, Vol 30, Issue 32, p10734
- ISSN
0270-6474
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1239-10.2010