Human Epilepsy Network Dynamics and Optogenetic Neuromodulation
March 13, 2025 | 16:00 CET
08:00 PDT | 11:00 EDT | 23:00 CST | 00:00 JST
Webinar Hightlights
The webinar covered
- Human hippocampal tissue slices as a powerful model for studying epileptiform activity
- AAV-mediated optogenetic inhibition of glutamatergic neurons as a strategy to reduce epileptiform activity in human brain networks
- HD-MEA and optogenetics for precise evaluation of network activity in human brain tissue
Agenda
Multimodal evaluation of network activity and optogenetic interventions in human hippocampal slices
Abstract
Seizures are made up of the coordinated activity of networks of neurons, suggesting that control of neurons in the pathologic circuits of epilepsy could allow for control of the disease. Optogenetics has been effective at stopping seizure-like activity in non-human disease models by increasing inhibitory tone or decreasing excitation, although this effect has not been shown in human brain tissue. Many of the genetic means for achieving channelrhodopsin expression in non-human models are not possible in humans, and vector-mediated methods are susceptible to species-specific tropism that may affect translational potential. Here we demonstrate adeno-associated virus–mediated, optogenetic reductions in network firing rates of human hippocampal slices recorded on high-density microelectrode arrays under several hyperactivity-provoking conditions. This platform can serve to bridge the gap between human and animal studies by exploring genetic interventions on network activity in human brain tissue.
