Orexin Triggers Autonomic Destabilization In SUDEP

Dr. Simeone’s overall goals are to determine a central trigger of SUDEP, identify novel biomarkers to better identify risk for and imminence of SUDEP, and identify a treatment to postpone and ultimately prevent SUDEP. Key events that lead to SUDEP include cardiac and respiratory failure. Failure of these two systems is attributed to a destabilization of the autonomic nervous system. They hypothesize that a neuropeptide is a central lynchpin that over a lifetime gains influence and progressively destabilizes these autonomic cardiorespiratory responses and ultimately results in SUDEP.