Epilepsy and the Wnt Signaling Pathway

Epilepsy is initiated by an event such as a prolonged seizure and is sometimes followed with the development of spontaneous seizures, learning disabilities, and other neurological issues. Dr. Audrey Yee, an epilepsy researcher and clinical neurologist, and Dr. Amy Yee, a breast cancer and Wnt signaling researcher, will investigate new mechanisms and therapeutic strategies to treat epilepsy. The Wnt signaling pathway is abnormal in many cancers, but may also have an unexpected role in the initiation of epilepsy. They will explore whether Wnt signaling is activated in brain cells following a seizure and contributes to epilepsy.