纹状体和苍白球外侧部在失神癫痫调控中作用的平均场模型研究

Absence epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder, characterized by recurrent seizures, which can lead to cognitive impairments in absence epileptic patients. It has been suggested that the basal ganglia could control absence seizures through the nigrothalamic pathway and pallido-cortical pathway, respectively. However, the functional roles in regulating absence epilepsy played by the neuroanatomical organizations of striatum and globus pallidus external segment (GPe) are still poorly understood. In this project, we propose to address this issue using the computational modelling approach. We first plan to establish a basal ganglia-corticothalamic (BGCT) network mean field model based on the mean field theory. Then, employing simulated neural signals to explore the functional roles played by the neural populations and neural pathways that are related to the striatum and GPe in the basal ganglia regulating absence epilepsy. Furthermore, we will investigate neurodynamic mechanisms underlying the regulation of absence epilepsy by dopamine neurotransmitters. Also, we will apply the voltage pulse stimulation to tune the neural activation level of the neural populations in GPe, through which to explore the functional mechanisms of different stimulation modes regulating absence epilepsy. Overall, this project is an interdisciplinary basic research, of which these expected results will not only contribute to deeply understanding the neurodynamic mechanism of the basal ganglia regulating absence epilepsy, but also provide some useful theories to the treatment of absence epilepsy and other brain diseases.

失神癫痫是一种慢性的神经系统疾病，具有反复发作特征，且会对患者认知功能造成一定损害。现有研究指出，黑质-丘脑通路和苍白球-皮层通路均能够介导基底节控制失神发作，但纹状体和苍白球外侧部的神经解剖组织在失神癫痫调控中扮演的功能作用仍不清楚。本项目基于神经计算模型的研究方法，运用平均场理论构建基底节-皮层-丘脑网络平均场模型，通过计算机仿真分别探讨纹状体和苍白球外侧部相关神经元群及神经通路在基底节调控失神癫痫中的功能作用，并在此模型研究基础上，考察多巴胺神经递质调控失神癫痫的神经动力学机制，同时采用电压脉冲刺激调节苍白球外侧部相关神经元群活性，探究不同刺激模式对失神癫痫调控的作用机制。本项目是跨学科的交叉基础研究，其研究成果既有助于深入理解基底节调控失神癫痫的神经动力学机制，也能为临床治疗失神癫痫和其它脑疾病提供理论参考。

失神癫痫是一种慢性的神经系统疾病，具有反复发作特征，且会对患者认知功能造成一定损害。现有研究指出，黑质-丘脑通路和苍白球-皮层通路均能够介导基底节控制失神发作，但基底节内神经通路和部分核团，如苍白球外侧部等，在失神癫痫调控中扮演的功能作用仍不清楚。本项目基于神经计算模型的研究方法，围绕基底节-皮层-丘脑网络，运用平均场理论构建平均场模型，探究基底节内神经通路和部分核团对失神癫痫调控的功能作用，以及电压刺激核团调控失神癫痫的作用机制。在本项目执行期间，项目组成员针对主要研究内容从建模仿真和数据分析等角度开展了相关研究工作，取得了阶段性研究成果。目前，已发表学术论文8篇，其中SCI收录论文6篇，有2篇影响因子大于5，EI收录论文2篇。此外，在项目的资助下，项目组成员参加了多场国内举办的重要学术会议；培养和协助培养硕士研究生5人，已毕业2人，博士研究生1人。本项目是跨学科的交叉基础研究，研究成果揭示了基底节对失神癫痫具有重要的调控作用，为临床治疗失神癫痫及与基底节相关的脑部疾病提供了理论参考。