Optogenetic activation of septal inhibitory cells abates focal seizures

Abstract

The medial septum could represent a therapeutic target to treat patients with focal epilepsy. In this study, we show that optogenetic activation of inhibitory parvalbumin-positive interneurons in the medial septum can block spontaneous seizures and prevents their reoccurrence for ∼5 days after the end of stimulation. Our findings suggest that the anti-ictogenic effects induced by stimulation of the medial septum could also alter the progression of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.