Thalamic lesions in a genetic rat model of absence epilepsy: Dissociation between spike-wave discharges and sleep spindles

Recent findings have challenged the traditional view that the thalamus is the primary driving source of generalized spike-wave discharges (SWDs) characteristic for absence seizures, and indicate a leading role for the cortex instead. In light of this we investigated the effects of thalamic lesions on SWDs and sleep spindles in the WAG/Rij rat, a genetic model of absence epilepsy. EEG was recorded from neocortex and thalamus in freely moving rats, both before and after unilateral thalamic ibotenic acid lesions. Complete unilateral destruction of the reticular thalamic nucleus (RTN) combined with extensive destruction of the thalamocortical relay (TCR) nuclei, resulted in the bilateral abolishment of SWDs and ipsilateral abolishment of sleep spindles. A suppression of both types of thalamocortical oscillations was found when complete or extensive damage to the RTN was combined with minor to moderate damage to the TCR nuclei. Lesions that left the rostral pole of the RTN and part of the TCR nuclei intact, resulted in an ipsilateral suppression of sleep spindles, but a large increase of bilateral SWDs. These findings demonstrate that the thalamus in general and the RTN in particular are a prerequisite for both the typical bilateral 7-11 Hz SWDs and natural occurring sleep spindles in the WAG/Rij rat, but suggest that different intrathalamic subcircuits are involved in the two types of thalamocortical oscillations. Whereas the whole RTN appears to be critical for the generation of sleep spindles, the rostral pole of the RTN seems to be the most likely part that generates SWDs.