Energy Metabolism During Non-synaptic Epileptiform Activities—Computational Simulations

Non-synaptic epileptiform activities (NSEA) are brain phenomena that involve intense neuronal activities and, consequently, change the energy metabolism responsible for the production of ATP and lactate. On the other hand, it has been observed that maneuvers of interference on mechanisms involved in metabolism can affect the epileptiform activities. The aim of the present work was to investigate, using mathematical modeling and computational simulations, the behavior of the energy metabolism responsible for the production of ATP and lactate, during NSEA. The mathematical model used to simulate NSEA describes electrochemical mechanisms of the dentate gyrus of the rat hippocampus. In this model, a mathematical description of the reactions involved in energy metabolism responsible for the production of ATP and lactate, in neurons and glial cells, was included. Investigating how neuronal and glial energy metabolism are able to maintain the level of ATP during NSEA, it was possible to interpret how it is possible to suppress NSEA by reducing the rate of glucose consumption, which characterizes the effect of ketogenic diets that have been used for the treatment of epilepsies.