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Common resting brain dynamics indicate a possible mechanism underlying zolpidem response in severe brain injury

Authors :
Shawniqua T Williams
Mary M Conte
Andrew M Goldfine
Quentin Noirhomme
Olivia Gosseries
Marie Thonnard
Bradley Beattie
Jennifer Hersh
Douglas I Katz
Jonathan D Victor
Steven Laureys
Nicholas D Schiff
Source :
eLife, Vol 2 (2013)
Publication Year :
2013
Publisher :
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd, 2013.

Abstract

Zolpidem produces paradoxical recovery of speech, cognitive and motor functions in select subjects with severe brain injury but underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In three diverse patients with known zolpidem responses we identify a distinctive pattern of EEG dynamics that suggests a mechanistic model. In the absence of zolpidem, all subjects show a strong low frequency oscillatory peak ∼6–10 Hz in the EEG power spectrum most prominent over frontocentral regions and with high coherence (∼0.7–0.8) within and between hemispheres. Zolpidem administration sharply reduces EEG power and coherence at these low frequencies. The ∼6–10 Hz activity is proposed to arise from intrinsic membrane properties of pyramidal neurons that are passively entrained across the cortex by locally-generated spontaneous activity. Activation by zolpidem is proposed to arise from a combination of initial direct drug effects on cortical, striatal, and thalamic populations and further activation of underactive brain regions induced by restoration of cognitively-mediated behaviors.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2050084X
Volume :
2
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
eLife
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.77e1d0725c1043f9b83c5aeb47a3926d
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01157