Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (IBiTech)

Combining optogenetics, chemogenetics, intracranial electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate abnormal functioning of brain networks during epileptogenesis

Epilepsy is a disease characterized by recurrent seizures. It is difficult to predict which patients will respond to the different treatment options, because little is known about the development of epilepsy and the neural networks that might be involved. With functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) whole-brain activity can be visualized, functionally connected brain regions can be identified and functional networks can be constructed. These networks can be characterized using graph theory measures. Optogenetics and chemogenetics are new techniques that allow very specific activation or inhibition of neurons, using light and specific drugs respectively. Optogenetics will be used to induce seizures during scanning, while chemogenetics will be used to try to modulate the epileptic network changes and to suppress spontaneous epileptic seizures.

figure 1: adapted from: Harris, N. G., et al. “Disconnection and hyper-connectivity underlie reorganization after TBI: A rodent functional connectomic analysis.” Experimental neurology 277 (2016): 124-138.
figure 1: adapted from: Harris, N. G., et al. “Disconnection and hyper-connectivity underlie reorganization after TBI: A rodent functional connectomic analysis.” Experimental neurology 277 (2016): 124-138.

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