2013

Taking Flight Award

Network And Axonal Mechanisms Underlying The Transition To Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Following Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (Concussion)

John Wolf, PhD
University of Pennsylvania
 

There is an increased risk of epilepsy onset following a mild traumatic brain injury (concussion). However, the mechanisms underlying this process are unknown. We are therefore evaluating circuitry changes over time after injury in the hippocampus, a vulnerable brain area in both epilepsy and trauma. We hope to understand how these alterations lead to epileptic activity after injury. We are also testing a promising intervention that blocks inflammatory processes contributing to circuit dysfunction in the hippocampus. Establishing a mechanistic link between repetitive concussions and epilepsy would be a powerful way to reduce the number of new epilepsy cases.

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