Directing Glutamate Receptor Alternative Splicing To Treat Epilepsy

Genes are the blueprint for making proteins in all of the cells in our bodies. The diversity of proteins is far greater than the number of genes, so a single gene can encode multiple proteins with distinct functions through a process called alternative splicing. The regulation of alternative splicing is disrupted in many neurological diseases, including epilepsy. Drs. Lutz and Tallent will focus on rescuing abnormal alternative splicing in the brain as an approach to reduce seizures and prevent epilepsy. They are hopeful that these studies will lead to a new understanding of the mechanisms of epilepsy and new approaches to therapy.