Optical imaging of epileptic activity and epilepsy treatments in neocortex

Optical imaging offers excellent spatio-temporal sensitivity that is unparalleled by any other perfusion based imaging techniques. We used in vivo optical recording of intrinsic signals (ORIS) to map neurovascular hemodynamics of perfusion, oximetry and membrane potential during epileptic events in rat and mouse neocortex. Studies of hemodynamic changes with ORIS alone were also performed in human. Laboratory studies in rodent epilepsy models have demonstrated a persistent increase in deoxygenated hemoglobin (Hbr) and a decrease in tissue oxygenation during interictal spikes and ictal events. This "epileptic dip", like the "initial dip" recorded during normal sensory processing, implies that the enormous rise in cerebral blood flow (CBF) is inadequate to meet the increased metabolic demands associated with synchronized epileptic activity. These findings are critically important to the interpretation of the perfusion-based imaging studies, such as fMRI. In addition, we visualized the effect of direct cortical electrical stimulation, an alterative epilepsy treatment. The optical data following direct cortical electrical stimulation showed that hemodynamic signals are sensitive to different electrical stimulation parameters. Furthermore, our recent data demonstrated that the application of unilateral electrical stimulation is able to elicit bilateral hemodynamic responses in rat neocortex.