Mapping patterns of neuronal activity and seizure propagation by imaging intrinsic optical signals in the isolated whole brain of the guinea-pig

Abstract

Image analysis techniques were used to examine changes in the intrinsic optical properties in the isolated brain of the guinea-pig in order to map normal neuronal activity patterns and seizure propagation in the olfactory cortex. Electrical stimulation of the lateral olfactory tract decreased light reflectance in distant cortical areas where fibres of the tract are known to project. These areas included the amygdalar, anterior and posterior piriform, and entorhinal cortices, as well as the olfactory tubercle. Stimulation of the lateral entorhinal cortex decreased reflectance in a more circumscribed area in the lateral and medial entorhinal cortex. By imaging intrinsic signals in real-time, we also demonstrated that seizure activity elicited in the entorhinal cortex/hippocampus preferentially propagated to the posteromedial cortical amygdaloid nucleus. The magnitudes of the intrinsic optical signals were correlated with the amplitudes of field potentials recorded in laminae II or III of the olfactory cortex of the same preparations. These signals had onset times of approximately 3 s during 5 Hz stimulation, consistently recovered and were graded with stimulation frequency. The generation of the intrinsic signals required postsynaptic activation, since attenuating synaptic transmission with kynurenic acid (an excitatory amino acid antagonist) eliminated the signals. The intrinsic signals exhibited maxima at 425–450, 550 and 600 nm, suggesting that they arose from changes in light absorption by cytochromes. Intrinsic signals of relatively constant magnitude were also present at 400, 475–500 and 575 nm, and at wavelengths greater than 600 nm. This suggested that an additional component of the intrinsic signal arose from changes in light scattering, possibly due to cellular swelling.