January 17, 2025
Article Published by Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
A method to profile gene activity in the living human brain has been developed by researchers at FutureNeuro, the Research Ireland Centre for Translational Brain Science and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, in collaboration with international partners.
Studying gene activity in the brain without requiring invasive tissue samples from surgery or post-mortem donation has been a long-standing challenge in neuroscience. By analysing molecular traces – specifically RNA and DNA – collected from electrodes implanted in the brains of patients with epilepsy and linking these with electrical recordings from the brain, the researchers were able to take a ‘snapshot’ of gene activity in the living brain. These electrodes, clinically used to pinpoint seizure activity in patients enabling surgical interventions, provide a unique opportunity to link brain activity to the genes being switched on or off in specific regions.
The study demonstrates how integrating molecular data with electrical recordings of seizures can enhance our understanding of the brain’s seizure networks, potentially improving the precision of epilepsy surgeries. Professor David Henshall, Director of FutureNeuro and Professor of Molecular Physiology and Neuroscience at RCSI, said: “This study represents a significant advancement in epilepsy research, providing a method to detect active genes within the living brain of individuals with epilepsy. This technology has the potential to complement traditional brain imaging and EEG tests that measure electrical activity in the brain, offering valuable insights to guide surgical decision-making in the treatment of those with epilepsy.”