Abstract
Homeostatic plasticity is a set of mechanisms that keep neuronal activity within a functional range. Various mechanisms of homeostatic plasticity are under transcriptional control. Past studies from the Nelson Lab have shown that out of three transcription factors (TFs) of the PAR-bZIP transcription factor family (HLF, TEF, and DBP), HLF and TEF restrain network activity in response to environmental stimuli. Here, we explore the role of these transcription factors in seizure propensity in vivo. We found that HLF, TEF, and DBP may function to reduce the frequency of spontaneous death (SD) due to seizure. We then tested whether rearing TKOs in an enhanced auditory environment would reduce spontaneous death propensity, however we observed no change in survival. Finally, we developed a video analysis script to detect seizures as a more sensitive measure than SD. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the pathophysiology behind seizures in mice lacking HLF, TEF, and DBP.