Dravet syndrome is a severe and drug resistant form of epilepsy, characterized by high mortality rates. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the most frequent cause of death for individuals with Dravet syndrome. The majority of individuals with Dravet syndrome carry mutations in a sodium channel subtype that is found in the brain, heart and nerves. Drs. Maier and Mantegazza will study the role of this sodium channel subtype in the heart in a model of Dravet syndrome in order to investigate the occurrence and mechanism of arrhythmias and their possible involvement in SUDEP.
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