Epileptiform activity (EA) refers to abnormal electrical discharges in the brain (usually detected by EEG), commonly associated with epilepsy but also observed in aging and other brain pathologies such as autism or Alzheimer’s disease. While it does not always lead to seizures, epileptiform activity can contribute to cognitive and emotional deficits.

The lack of standardized and pure models of epileptiform activity limits the precise study of its impact on cognition, making it difficult to distinguish its direct effects from those of underlying neurological conditions. To address this, we use an intra-hippocampal injection model of kainic acid (KA) in which epileptiform activity was induced without seizures. Behavioral assessments were conducted to evaluate changes in emotion and cognitive function at 7- and 50-days post-induction.

Following EA induction, females exhibit cognitive impairment, whereas males treated with KA show no significant alterations in cognitive function. To determine whether these behavioral changes correspond to alterations in brain activity, we are conducting in vivo electrophysiological recordings in the hippocampus in freely moving mice. Our data show that EA induces alterations in high-frequency oscillations in female mice. Thus, epileptiform activity induces sex-dependent behavioral changes