ESTABLISHMENT OF A CHRONIC EPILEPSY MODEL IN ZEBRAFISH LARVAE BY EARLY DEVELOPMENTAL PTZ EXPOSURE

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures caused by enduring pathological changes in neuronal circuits that promote network hyperexcitability. Establishing reliable experimental models that mimic chronic epileptic network activity is essential for understanding epileptogenesis and long-term circuit dysfunction. Zebrafish larvae are widely used in epilepsy research due to their genetic tractability and suitability for large-scale calcium imaging. In this study, we aimed to establish a chronic seizure model using zebrafish. We used pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) exposure during early development, and examined its long-term neuronal and behavioral effects across multiple developmental stages. Persistent network hyperactivity was evaluated by simultaneous multi-animals recordings of whole-brain calcium activity at 7 and 10 days old zebrafish, across 24 hours. Chronic seizure susceptibility was further assessed through automated locomotor behavior analysis. Our preliminary results revealed that PTZ exposure during early developmental stages result in more pronounced and persistent neuronal hyperactivity compared to controls, reflecting increased circuit vulnerability during critical periods of network maturation.