The 2009 Axelrod Family Award
Disordered breathing occurs in one-third of seizures in people with uncontrolled partial epilepsy. Does disordered breathing play a role in Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)? It is not know, but we do know that serotonin (a brain chemical) plays a role in the control of breathing, and when researchers increase serotonin levels in an animal model of SUDEP, they were able to prevent respiratory failure. Dr. Bateman and her collaborators will investigate whether fluoxetine (commonly known as Prozac and which increases serotonin levels) improves respiratory function in individuals with intractable partial epilepsy.
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