Search results for " epilepsy."
showing 10 items of 149 documents
Proteomic signature of the Dravet syndrome in the genetic Scn1a-A1783V mouse model.
2021
Abstract Background Dravet syndrome is a rare, severe pediatric epileptic encephalopathy associated with intellectual and motor disabilities. Proteomic profiling in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome can provide information about the molecular consequences of the genetic deficiency and about pathophysiological mechanisms developing during the disease course. Methods A knock-in mouse model of Dravet syndrome with Scn1a haploinsufficiency was used for whole proteome, seizure, and behavioral analysis. Hippocampal tissue was dissected from two- (prior to epilepsy manifestation) and four- (following epilepsy manifestation) week-old male mice and analyzed using LC-MS/MS with label-free quantificati…
Role(s) of the 5-HT2C receptor in the development of maximal dentate activation in the hippocampus of anesthetized rats.
2014
Aims: Substantial evidence indicates that 5-HT2C receptors are involved in the control of neuronal network excitability and in seizure pathophysiology. Here, we have addressed the relatively unexplored relationship between temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), the most frequent type of intractable epilepsy, and 5-HT2CRs. Methods: In this study, we investigated this issue using a model of partial complex (limbic) seizures in urethane-anesthetized rat, based on the phenomenon of maximal dentate activation (MDA) using 5-HT2C compounds, electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting techniques. Results: The 5-HT2C agonists mCPP (1 mg/kg, i.p) and lorcaserin (3 mg/kg, i.p), but not RO60-0…
Social cognition and executive functions in children and adolescents with focal epilepsy
2020
Objectives: Deficits in facial emotion recognition and Theory of Mind are frequent in patients with epilepsy. Although this evidence, studies on pediatric age are few and the relation between these abilities and other cognitive domain remains to be better elucidated. The purpose of our study is to evaluate facial emotion recognition and Theory of Mind in children and adolescents with focal epilepsy, and correlate them with intelligence and executive functions. Materials and methods: Our work is a cross-sectional observational study. Sixty-two children and adolescents aged between 7-16 years diagnosed by focal epilepsy and 32 sex/age-matched controls were recruited. All participants were adm…
Antiepileptic effect of dimethyl sulfoxide in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy.
2012
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is an amphipathic molecule widely used to solubilize water-insoluble compounds. In many studies it was reported that DMSO is capable of affecting several biological processes, thus resulting in a potential cause for the misinterpretation of experimental data. Recent papers showed that DMSO modified the brain bioelectric activity in animal models of epilepsy. In an in vivo model of temporal lobe epilepsy in the rat, we examined the effects of different doses (10%, 50% and 100%) of DMSO on the maximal dentate activation (MDA). The results show that DMSO induced a dose-dependent significant reduction of the electrically induced paroxysmal activity.
Inhibitory effects of N-valproyl-L-tryptophan on high potassium, low calcium and low magnesium-induced CA1 hippocampal epileptiform bursting activity…
2012
N-valproyl-l-tryptophan (VPA-Tryp), new antiepileptic drug, was tested on CA1 hippocampal epileptiform bursting activity obtained by increasing potassium and lowering calcium and magnesium concentrations in the fluid perfusing rat brain slices. Each slice was treated with a single concentration (0.2, 0.5, 1 or 2 mM) of Valproate (VPA) or VPA-Tryp. Both burst duration and interburst frequency during and after treatment were off-line compared with baseline values. For both parameters, the latency and the length of statistically significant response periods as well as the magnitude of drug-induced responses were calculated. VPA-Tryp evoked fewer and weaker early excitatory effects than VPA on …
Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Characteristics and Therapeutic Implications.
2020
A large body of literature reports the higher prevalence of epilepsy in subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) compared to the general population. Similarly, several studies report an increased rate of Subclinical Electroencephalographic Abnormalities (SEAs) in seizure-free patients with ASD rather than healthy controls, although with varying percentages. SEAs include both several epileptiform discharges and different non-epileptiform electroencephalographic abnormalities. They are more frequently associated with lower intellectual functioning, more serious dysfunctional behaviors, and they are often sign of severer forms of autism. However, SEAs clinical implications remain controver…
Epilepsy surgery in children with developmental tumours
2011
AbstractWe report our experience regarding evaluation, surgical treatment and outcomes in a population of 21 children with histopathologically confirmed developmental tumours [nine dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumours (DNET), ten gangliogliomas (GG) and two gangliocytomas (GC)] and related epilepsy, analyzing video-EEG, MRI and neuropsychological data, before and after surgery.Most children had focal epilepsy correlating well with lesion location. One patient had epileptic spasms and generalized discharges. Tumours were located in the temporal lobe in 13 patients. Mean age at surgery was 11.16 years. Postsurgical MRI showed residual tumour growth in one DNET. One child had a recurrent g…
West syndrome followed by juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: a coincidental occurrence?
2013
Background: West syndrome is an age-dependent epilepsy with onset peak in the first year of life whose aetiology may be symptomatic or cryptogenic. Long-term cognitive and neurological prognosis is usually poor and seizure outcome is also variable. Over the past two decades a few patients with favourable cognitive outcome and with total recovery from seizures were identified among the cryptogenic group suggesting an idiopathic aetiology. Recent research has described two children with idiopathic WS who later developed a childhood absence epilepsy. Case presentation: We reviewed the medical records of patients with West syndrome admitted to the our Child Neuropsychiatry Unit in the last 15 y…
Reading–writing disorder in children with idiopathic epilepsy
2020
Abstract Several studies have documented learning disabilities (LDs) in subjects with epilepsy, who have been shown to be at greater risk of mild neuropsychological damage, with the consequent risk of academic failure. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the peculiarities of reading and writing disorders in subjects with idiopathic epilepsy. The reading and writing performance of 35 children affected by reading and writing disorders and idiopathic epilepsy (R/WD + E group) has been compared with the performance of 37 children with only reading and writing disorders (R/WD group). A comparison group of 22 typical developing healthy children (TDC group) was also included in the study…
Cholecystokinin-8 sulfate modulates the anticonvulsant efficacy of vigabatrin in an experimental model of partial complex epilepsy in the rat.
2009
Summary Purpose: We evaluated the possible additive effect induced by the administration of the anticonvulsant vigabatrin (VGB) and cholecystokinin-8 sulfate (CCK-8S) on an experimental model of partial complex seizures (maximal dentate gyrus activation, MDA). Moreover, the functional involvement of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission was tested by iontophoretically administering bicuculline (GABA receptor antagonist) in the dentate gyrus. Methods: Urethane anesthetized rats were pretreated with VGB (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg, i.p.) or CCK-8S (8 nmol/kg, i.p.) alone or coadministered with VGB (50 mg/kg, i.p.). Dentate gyrus epileptic activity was obtained through the repetitive electr…