Epilepsy dynamics of an astrocyte-neuron model with ammonia intoxication

Abstract

Experimental records in the cerebral cortex indicate that ammonia injection can lead to seizures. Considering that astrocytes play a vital role in mediating the uptake and absorption of ammonium ions in the extracellular space of the cortical circuit, we constructed a new astrocyte neuron coupling model, which is composed of a neuron and its astrocytes connected through the extracellular space, taking into account of the influence of extracellular ammonium ions. The numerical results verified the previous experimental observation that obtained epileptic firing modes of neurons and postsynaptic GABA reversal potential depolarization triggered by ammonia injection. In addition, we also determined the concentration–response relationship between the ammonium ion concentration and the time of entering epilepsy and predicted the threshold of the ammonium ion concentration for the onset of epilepsy.