Neurophysiological and pharmacological analysis of a fruit fly model of epilepsy (360G-Wellcome-206918_Z_17_Z)

Epilepsy is as a result of overactive neurons exhibiting abnormal activity. The Kcc2 ion channel in neurons is a cause of juvenile epilepsy. We will use drosophila containing the Kcc2 dysfunctional mutant, which is thought to display epileptic tendencies, to display their use as a good model for epilepsy. Drosophila are known to be a good model to study disease, so they will prove to be useful to study epilepsy with. We will prove drosophila to be a useful model using electroretinograms to measure epilepsy displayed in the kcc2 mutant flies. We will test the change of behaviour when treated with the anti-epileptic drug, phenytoin, which should restore some normal function in the flies. Followed by the kcc2 channel inhibitor VU0240551, which in turn should cause a pro-epileptic response in the fly. Using the electroretinogram, this observation should be picked up, thus proving that the drosophila ERG can be used as a reliable model of epilepsy. This can therefore lay groundwork for research into therapeutics and further understanding of drosophila circuitry.