Fig. 3.

Epileptiform activity in rat hippocampal slices decreases Ser473 AKT phosphorylation and PIP₃ levels but these are restored by VPA. (A) Example trace recording of epileptiform activity (burst discharges) in hippocampal slices induced by application of PTZ (PTZ 2 mM, K⁺ 6 mM) and (B) following addition of VPA (1 mM). (C) Comparison of the mean frequency of burst discharges in the presence or absence of VPA (1 mM), expressed as a percentage of the baseline value (N = 5). (D) Western immunoblot assays show levels of phosopho-Ser473 (pAKT) and total (tAKT) AKT protein during epileptiform activity in hippocampal slices with summary data (N = 5) showing pAKT normalised to tAKT levels. Graphs show means ± SEM with individual data point illustrated. (E) Comparison of PIP₃ level in the same hippocampal slices (control (N = 15), VPA (1 mM, N = 9)), and in seizure condition in the absence (N = 13), or presence (N = 11) of VPA measured by PIP₃ ELISA mass assay. Graphs show means ± SEM, with individual data point illustrated. Statistical analysis was performed by post-hoc Tukey test, following ANOVA (**p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001). Quantification of washout epileptiform activity is shown in Supplementary Fig. 5.