This provides a particularly unique window into understanding exactly what mice do at night during their “active” phase. In contrast to standard behavioral phenotyping batteries, all of our behavioral measurements are conducted within the mouse’s home cage. Using a range of genetically valid mouse models of epilepsy (or epilepsy risk), we employ state of the art home cage behavioral monitoring technology to understand how interictal behavior is directly modulated by latent genetic risk, induced seizures, frank spontaneous seizures and/or anticonvulsants.

The central objective of the laboratory is to dissect the basic mechanisms by which specific epilepsies (in which hyperexcitability may be genetic, lesional or other) result in specific derangements in behavior. The Laboratory of Epilepsy and Emotional Behavior, led by Vaishnav Krishnan, M.D., Ph.D., is devoted to advancing our knowledge of the basic neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the strong associations between epilepsy and mental health disorders.