Hyper-Synchronization, De-Synchronization, Synchronization and Seizures

GUILLERMO ORTEGA; JESUS PASTOR; RAFAEL GARCÍA DE SOLA

Epilepsy – Histological, Electroencephalographic and Psychological Aspects

InTech

Año: 2012; p. 117 - 144

Ranging from its most basic mechanisms to the clinical symptoms, epilepsy is tightlyassociated with the word “synchronization”. In fact, synchronization phenomenaunderlying epilepsy are described in several mechanisms at different temporal and spatialscales. At the lowest spatial scale, hippocampal and neocortical interictal spikes appear asthe result of synchronized activity of pyramidal cells. At a larger spatial scale, epilepticseizures are usually described as a state of "hypersynchrony" encompassing extendedcortical areas. Synchronization and epilepsy are so associated one to each other that lack ofsynchronization, or desynchronization, has been highlighted in recent years as a key aspectof the underlying dynamic in this pathology