Cerebellar stimulation in alumina-gel monkey model: inverse relationship between clinical seizures and EEG interictal bursts

Abstract

The efficacy of cerebellar stimulation was addressed in a chronic monkey model (N = 12) of spontaneous focal motor and secondarily generalized seizures using 24 hr seizure frequency monitoring and all-night EEG recording. The anterior cerebellar vermis was stimulated employing parameters similar to those used in man, 10 Hz, 1 msec pulses, 10 min on, 10 off, at an average current of 2.0 mA. Six weeks pre- and post-base-line periods were compared to a stimulation period of the same length. The results contribute to a clarification of conflicting findings of previous researchers by revealing an inverse relationship between seizure frequency and interictal EEG bursts during the weeks of stimulation. Seizure frequency increased significantly and interictal bursts decreased. Both of these effects (especially the former) were evident in the post-stimulation period, but for different reasons than hypothesized for the period of stimulation. Whereas the therapeutic value of cerebellar stimulation on seizures may be in question, its utilization in the study of mechanisms of epilepsy may be warranted.