Reduced Synaptic Heterogeneity in a Tetanus Toxin Model of Epilepsy: Insights from Computational Modeling.

Abstract

A neural mass model was used to assess connectivity strength across diverse populations by fitting the model to background EEG data obtained from a Tetanus Toxin rat model of epilepsy. Our findings reveal a notable decline in the variability of estimated parameters when using EEG data recorded from rats in the Tetanus Toxin group compared with the control group. A detailed comparison of standard deviations in estimated parameters between day 1 and day 20 recordings, coinciding with a heightened number of seizures, underscores the impact of Tetanus Toxin on diminishing synaptic strength variability across recordings. This study supports electrophysiological studies suggesting that epileptogenesis induces a reduction in biophysical heterogeneity, potentially leading to an increase in network synchrony associated with epilepsy. Furthermore, our computational model establishes a foundation for future explorations of the implications of this diminished variability.