The team found that inhibiting EZH2 activity increased the frequency and severity of seizures, suggesting that EZH2 protects against the development of seizures and may be a potential new therapeutic target.
Post-Traumatic Epilepsy
One exciting, ongoing PTE project is led by Dr. Jeffrey Loeb of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Loeb’s team project will focus on a type of bleeding commonly caused by TBI called subarachnoid hemorrhage.
SUDEP
Generalized tonic-clonic seizures and sleeping alone identified as significant risk factors for SUDEP.
This study suggests that abnormal electrical activity (such as IEDs) in one part of the brain can disrupt normal neural activity in distant parts of the brain and may be an indicator of where the epileptic network will spread.
SUDEP
The researchers gathered evidence suggesting that a protein in the brain called orexin, which is known to regulate breathing and heart rate, may be a central player in causing SUDEP.
In a previously published study, the investigators treated a child with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy associated with a mutation in GRIN2A with the drug memantine and found a substantial reduction in his seizure burden after treatment for a year.
Dr. Wang’s work has led to a model that represents the genetics, pathology, and EEG features of human focal cortical dysplasias.
Rare Epilepsies
Researchers have known for many years that most cases of Rett syndrome are caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene; however, the mechanisms that link these genetic changes to the syndrome’s diverse symptoms are not well understood.
The team found increased levels of certain amino acids, potentially made by gut bacteria, in the epileptic brain regions of individuals with focal epilepsies.
