N. Chevassusaulouis et al., NEURONAL MIGRATION DISORDERS - HETEROTOPIC NEOCORTICAL NEURONS IN CA1PROVIDE A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE HIPPOCAMPUS AND THE NEOCORTEX, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United Statesof America, 95(17), 1998, pp. 10263-10268
Neuronal migration disorders have been involved in various pathologies
, including epilepsy, but the properties of the neural networks underl
ying disorders have not been determined. In the present study, patch c
lamp recordings were made from intrahippocampal heterotopic as well as
from neocortical and hippocampal neurons from brain slices of rats wi
th prenatally methylazoxymethanol-induced cortical malformation. We re
port that heterotopic neurons have morphometrical parameters and cellu
lar properties of neocortical supragranular neurons and are integrated
in both neocortical and hippocampal networks. Thus, stimulation of th
e white matter induces both antidromic and orthodromic response in het
erotopic and neocortical neurons. Stimulation of hippocampal afferents
evokes a monosynaptic response in the majority of heterotopic neurons
and a polysynaptic all-or-none epileptiform burst in the presence of
bicuculline to block gamma-aminobutyric acid type A inhibition. Furthe
rmore, hippocampal paroxysmal activity generated by bath application o
f bicuculline can spread directly to the neocortex via the heterotopia
in methylazoxymethanol-treated but not in naive rats. We conclude tha
t heterotopias form a functional bridge between the limbic system and
the neocortex, providing a substrate for pathological conditions.