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Chalkley MBL, Guerin LN, Iyer T, Mallahan S, Nelson S, Sahin M, Hodges E, Ess KC, Ihrie RA. Human TSC2 Mutant Cells Exhibit Aberrations in Early Neurodevelopment Accompanied by Changes in the DNA Methylome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.04.597443. [PMID: 38895266 PMCID: PMC11185654 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.04.597443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a debilitating developmental disorder characterized by a variety of clinical manifestations. While benign tumors in the heart, lungs, kidney, and brain are all hallmarks of the disease, the most severe symptoms of TSC are often neurological, including seizures, autism, psychiatric disorders, and intellectual disabilities. TSC is caused by loss of function mutations in the TSC1 or TSC2 genes and consequent dysregulation of signaling via mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1). While TSC neurological phenotypes are well-documented, it is not yet known how early in neural development TSC1/2-mutant cells diverge from the typical developmental trajectory. Another outstanding question is the contribution of homozygous-mutant cells to disease phenotypes and whether such phenotypes are also seen in the heterozygous-mutant populations that comprise the vast majority of cells in patients. Using TSC patient-derived isogenic induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with defined genetic changes, we observed aberrant early neurodevelopment in vitro, including misexpression of key proteins associated with lineage commitment and premature electrical activity. These alterations in differentiation were coincident with hundreds of differentially methylated DNA regions, including loci associated with key genes in neurodevelopment. Collectively, these data suggest that mutation or loss of TSC2 affects gene regulation and expression at earlier timepoints than previously appreciated, with implications for whether and how prenatal treatment should be pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary-Bronwen L. Chalkley
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Lindsey N. Guerin
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Tenhir Iyer
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Samantha Mallahan
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Sydney Nelson
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Emily Hodges
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Kevin C. Ess
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Rebecca A. Ihrie
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
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Richard MA, Lupo PJ, Ehli EA, Sahin M, Krueger DA, Wu JY, Bebin EM, Au KS, Northrup H, Farach LS. Common epilepsy variants from the general population are not associated with epilepsy among individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex. Am J Med Genet A 2024; 194:e63569. [PMID: 38366765 PMCID: PMC11060940 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Common genetic variants identified in the general population have been found to increase phenotypic risks among individuals with certain genetic conditions. Up to 90% of individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are affected by some type of epilepsy, yet the common variants contributing to epilepsy risk in the general population have not been evaluated in the context of TSC-associated epilepsy. Such knowledge is important to help uncover the underlying pathogenesis of epilepsy in TSC which is not fully understood, and critical as uncontrolled epilepsy is a major problem in this population. To evaluate common genetic modifiers of epilepsy, our study pooled phenotypic and genotypic data from 369 individuals with TSC to evaluate known and novel epilepsy common variants. We did not find evidence of enhanced genetic penetrance for known epilepsy variants identified across the largest genome-wide association studies of epilepsy in the general population, but identified support for novel common epilepsy variants in the context of TSC. Specifically, we have identified a novel signal in SLC7A1 that may be functionally involved in pathways relevant to TSC and epilepsy. Our study highlights the need for further evaluation of genetic modifiers in TSC to aid in further understanding of epilepsy in TSC and improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Richard
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Philip J Lupo
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Erik A Ehli
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Darcy A Krueger
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Joyce Y Wu
- Epilepsy Center, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Bebin
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Kit Sing Au
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Hope Northrup
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Laura S Farach
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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3
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Curatolo P, Scheper M, Emberti Gialloreti L, Specchio N, Aronica E. Is tuberous sclerosis complex-associated autism a preventable and treatable disorder? World J Pediatr 2024; 20:40-53. [PMID: 37878130 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-023-00762-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder caused by inactivating mutations in the TSC1 and TSC2 genes, causing overactivation of the mechanistic (previously referred to as mammalian) target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in fetal life. The mTOR pathway plays a crucial role in several brain processes leading to TSC-related epilepsy, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Pre-natal or early post-natal diagnosis of TSC is now possible in a growing number of pre-symptomatic infants. DATA SOURCES We searched PubMed for peer-reviewed publications published between January 2010 and April 2023 with the terms "tuberous sclerosis", "autism", or "autism spectrum disorder"," animal models", "preclinical studies", "neurobiology", and "treatment". RESULTS Prospective studies have highlighted that developmental trajectories in TSC infants who were later diagnosed with ASD already show motor, visual and social communication skills in the first year of life delays. Reliable genetic, cellular, electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers can identify pre-symptomatic TSC infants at high risk for having autism and epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS Preventing epilepsy or improving therapy for seizures associated with prompt and tailored treatment strategies for autism in a sensitive developmental time window could have the potential to mitigate autistic symptoms in infants with TSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Curatolo
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Mirte Scheper
- Department of Neuropathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Specchio
- Clinical and Experimental Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of Neuropathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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4
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Huschner F, Głowacka-Walas J, Mills JD, Klonowska K, Lasseter K, Asara JM, Moavero R, Hertzberg C, Weschke B, Riney K, Feucht M, Scholl T, Krsek P, Nabbout R, Jansen AC, Petrák B, van Scheppingen J, Zamecnik J, Iyer A, Anink JJ, Mühlebner A, Mijnsbergen C, Lagae L, Curatolo P, Borkowska J, Sadowski K, Domańska-Pakieła D, Blazejczyk M, Jansen FE, Janson S, Urbanska M, Tempes A, Janssen B, Sijko K, Wojdan K, Jozwiak S, Kotulska K, Lehmann K, Aronica E, Jaworski J, Kwiatkowski DJ. Molecular EPISTOP, a comprehensive multi-omic analysis of blood from Tuberous Sclerosis Complex infants age birth to two years. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7664. [PMID: 37996417 PMCID: PMC10667269 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42855-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a comprehensive multi-omic analysis of the EPISTOP prospective clinical trial of early intervention with vigabatrin for pre-symptomatic epilepsy treatment in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), in which 93 infants with TSC were followed from birth to age 2 years, seeking biomarkers of epilepsy development. Vigabatrin had profound effects on many metabolites, increasing serum deoxycytidine monophosphate (dCMP) levels 52-fold. Most serum proteins and metabolites, and blood RNA species showed significant change with age. Thirty-nine proteins, metabolites, and genes showed significant differences between age-matched control and TSC infants. Six also showed a progressive difference in expression between control, TSC without epilepsy, and TSC with epilepsy groups. A multivariate approach using enrollment samples identified multiple 3-variable predictors of epilepsy, with the best having a positive predictive value of 0.987. This rich dataset will enable further discovery and analysis of developmental effects, and associations with seizure development in TSC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jagoda Głowacka-Walas
- Transition Technologies Science, Warsaw, Poland
- Warsaw University of Technology, The Institute of Computer Science, Warsaw, Poland
| | - James D Mills
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
| | | | - Kathryn Lasseter
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John M Asara
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Division of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Romina Moavero
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
- Developmental Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Christoph Hertzberg
- Diagnose- und Behandlungszentrum für Kinder, Vivantes-Klinikum Neukölln, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard Weschke
- Department of Child Neurology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kate Riney
- Neurosciences Unit, Queensland Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Martha Feucht
- Epilepsy Service, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Member of ERN EpiCARE, Vienna, Austria
| | - Theresa Scholl
- Epilepsy Service, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Member of ERN EpiCARE, Vienna, Austria
| | - Pavel Krsek
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Motol University Hospital, 2nd Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Rima Nabbout
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Reference Centre for Rare Epilepsies, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Université Paris cité, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Anna C Jansen
- Neurogenetics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bořivoj Petrák
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Motol University Hospital, 2nd Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jackelien van Scheppingen
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Josef Zamecnik
- Department. of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Motol University Hospital, 2nd Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anand Iyer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jasper J Anink
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Angelika Mühlebner
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Caroline Mijnsbergen
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lieven Lagae
- Department of Development and Regeneration Section Pediatric Neurology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paolo Curatolo
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Julita Borkowska
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, member of ERN EPICARE, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Sadowski
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, member of ERN EPICARE, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota Domańska-Pakieła
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, member of ERN EPICARE, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Blazejczyk
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, member of ERN EPICARE, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Floor E Jansen
- Department of Child Neurology, Brain Center University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Malgorzata Urbanska
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, member of ERN EPICARE, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Tempes
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Kamil Sijko
- Transition Technologies Science, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Konrad Wojdan
- Transition Technologies Science, Warsaw, Poland
- Warsaw University of Technology, Institute of Heat Engineering, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sergiusz Jozwiak
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, member of ERN EPICARE, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Child Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kotulska
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, member of ERN EPICARE, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Eleonora Aronica
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede the Netherlands, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jacek Jaworski
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
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5
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Sciaccaluga M, Ruffolo G, Palma E, Costa C. Traditional and Innovative Anti-seizure Medications Targeting Key Physiopathological Mechanisms: Focus on Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:1736-1754. [PMID: 37143270 PMCID: PMC10514539 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230504160948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the wide range of compounds currently available to treat epilepsy, there is still no drug that directly tackles the physiopathological mechanisms underlying its development. Indeed, antiseizure medications attempt to prevent seizures but are inefficacious in counteracting or rescuing the physiopathological phenomena that underlie their onset and recurrence, and hence do not cure epilepsy. Classically, the altered excitation/inhibition balance is postulated as the mechanism underlying epileptogenesis and seizure generation. This oversimplification, however, does not account for deficits in homeostatic plasticity resulting from either insufficient or excessive compensatory mechanisms in response to a change in network activity. In this respect, both neurodevelopmental epilepsies and those associated with neurodegeneration may share common underlying mechanisms that still need to be fully elucidated. The understanding of these molecular mechanisms shed light on the identification of new classes of drugs able not only to suppress seizures, but also to present potential antiepileptogenic effects or "disease-modifying" properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Sciaccaluga
- Section of Neurology, S.M. della Misericordia Hospital, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, Perugia, 06129, Italy
| | - Gabriele Ruffolo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur—Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, University of Rome, Sapienza, Rome, 00185, Italy
- IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Rome, 00166, Italy
| | - Eleonora Palma
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur—Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, University of Rome, Sapienza, Rome, 00185, Italy
- IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Rome, 00166, Italy
| | - Cinzia Costa
- Section of Neurology, S.M. della Misericordia Hospital, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Piazzale Gambuli 1, Perugia, 06129, Italy
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6
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Singh A, Hadjinicolaou A, Peters JM, Salussolia CL. Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: Treatment, Maintenance, and Future Directions. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2023; 19:733-748. [PMID: 37041855 PMCID: PMC10083014 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s347327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurogenetic disorder that affects multiple organ systems, including the heart, kidneys, eyes, skin, and central nervous system. The neurologic manifestations have the highest morbidity and mortality, in particular in children. Clinically, patients with TSC often present with new-onset seizures within the first year of life. TSC-associated epilepsy is often difficult to treat and refractory to multiple antiseizure medications. Refractory TSC-associated epilepsy is associated with increased risk of neurodevelopmental comorbidities, including developmental delay, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and attention hyperactivity disorder. An increasing body of research suggests that early, effective treatment of TSC-associated epilepsy during critical neurodevelopmental periods can potentially improve cognitive outcomes. Therefore, it is important to treat TSC-associated epilepsy aggressively, whether it be with pharmacological therapy, surgical intervention, and/or neuromodulation. This review discusses current and future pharmacological treatments for TSC-associated epilepsy, as well as the importance of early surgical evaluation for refractory epilepsy in children with TSC and consideration of neuromodulatory interventions in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avantika Singh
- Division of Epilepsy and Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aristides Hadjinicolaou
- Division of Epilepsy and Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jurriaan M Peters
- Division of Epilepsy and Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine L Salussolia
- Division of Epilepsy and Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Correspondence: Catherine L Salussolia, 3 Blackfan Circle, Center for Life Sciences 14060, Boston, MA, 02115, USA, Tel +617-355-7970, Email
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7
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Wu JY, Cock HR, Devinsky O, Joshi C, Miller I, Roberts CM, Sanchez-Carpintero R, Checketts D, Sahebkar F. Time to Onset of Cannabidiol (CBD) Treatment Effect and Resolution of Adverse Events in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: Post Hoc Analysis of Randomized Controlled Phase 3 Trial GWPCARE6. Epilepsia 2022; 63:1189-1199. [PMID: 35175622 PMCID: PMC9314914 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Objective To estimate the timing of cannabidiol (CBD) treatment effect (seizure reduction and adverse events [AEs]) onset, we conducted a post hoc analysis of GWPCARE6 (NCT02544763), a randomized, placebo‐controlled, phase 3 trial in patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Methods Patients received plant‐derived pharmaceutical formulation of highly purified CBD (Epidiolex; 100 mg/ml oral solution) at 25 mg/kg/day (CBD25) or 50 mg/kg/day (CBD50) or placebo for 16 weeks (4‐week titration, 12‐week maintenance). Treatment started at 5 mg/kg/day for all groups and reached 25 mg/kg/day on Day 9 and 50 mg/kg/day on Day 29. Percentage change from baseline in TSC‐associated seizure (countable focal or generalized) count was calculated by cumulative day (i.e., including all previous days). Time to onset and resolution of AEs were evaluated. Results Of 224 patients, 75 were randomized to CBD25, 73 to CBD50, and 76 to placebo. Median (range) age was 11.3 (1.1–56.8) years. Patients had discontinued a median (range) of 4 (0–15) antiseizure medications and were currently taking 3 (0–5). Difference in seizure reduction between CBD and placebo emerged on Day 6 (titrated dose, 15 mg/kg/day) and became nominally significant (p < .049) by Day 10. Separation between placebo and CBD in ≥50% responder rate also emerged by Day 10. Onset of AEs occurred during the first 2 weeks of the titration period in 61% of patients (CBD25, 61%; CBD50, 67%; placebo, 54%). In patients with an AE, resolution occurred within 4 weeks of onset in 42% of placebo and 27% of CBD patients and by end of trial in 78% of placebo and 51% of CBD patients. Significance Onset of treatment effect occurred within 6–10 days. AEs lasted longer for CBD than placebo, but the most common (diarrhea, decreased appetite, and somnolence) resolved during the 16‐week trial in most patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Y Wu
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.,UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Hannah R Cock
- St. George's, University of London, St. George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Ian Miller
- Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami, FL, USA.,Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami, FL, USA
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8
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Zapata-Muñoz J, Villarejo-Zori B, Largo-Barrientos P, Boya P. Towards a better understanding of the neuro-developmental role of autophagy in sickness and in health. Cell Stress 2021; 5:99-118. [PMID: 34308255 PMCID: PMC8283300 DOI: 10.15698/cst2021.07.253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a critical cellular process by which biomolecules and cellular organelles are degraded in an orderly manner inside lysosomes. This process is particularly important in neurons: these post-mitotic cells cannot divide or be easily replaced and are therefore especially sensitive to the accumulation of toxic proteins and damaged organelles. Dysregulation of neuronal autophagy is well documented in a range of neurodegenerative diseases. However, growing evidence indicates that autophagy also critically contributes to neurodevelopmental cellular processes, including neurogenesis, maintenance of neural stem cell homeostasis, differentiation, metabolic reprogramming, and synaptic remodelling. These findings implicate autophagy in neurodevelopmental disorders. In this review we discuss the current understanding of the role of autophagy in neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as currently available tools and techniques that can be used to further investigate this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Zapata-Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Patricia Boya
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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9
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Strzelczyk A, Grau J, Bast T, Bertsche A, Bettendorf U, Hahn A, Hartmann H, Hertzberg C, Hornemann F, Immisch I, Jacobs J, Klotz KA, Kluger G, Knake S, Knuf M, Kurlemann G, Marquard K, Mayer T, Meyer S, Muhle H, Müller-Schlüter K, von Podewils F, Rosenow F, Ruf S, Sauter M, Schäfer H, Schlump JU, Schubert-Bast S, Syrbe S, Thiels C, Trollmann R, Wiemer-Kruel A, Wilken B, Zukunft B, Zöllner JP. Prescription patterns of antiseizure drugs in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)-associated epilepsy: a multicenter cohort study from Germany and review of the literature. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2021; 14:749-760. [PMID: 33792454 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2021.1911643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Seizures are a primary and early disease manifestation of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). We aimed to describe the age-stratified patterns of antiseizure drug (ASD) treatments among children, adolescents, and adults with TSC in Germany. Additionally, we reviewed real-world and clinical study evidence regarding ASD utilization in patients with TSC. METHODS We evaluated the pattern of routine ASD use and everolimus prescriptions based on a 2019 multicenter survey of 268 individuals with TSC-associated epilepsy. We contextualized the results with a structured review of real-world and clinical study evidence. RESULTS TSC-associated epilepsy treatment comprises a wide variety of ASDs. In this German sample, the majority of patients were treated with polytherapy, and lamotrigine (34.7%), valproate (32.8%), oxcarbazepine (28.7%), vigabatrin (19.0%), and levetiracetam (17.9%) were identified as the most-commonly used ASDs. In addition, everolimus was used by 32.5% of patients. In adherence to current TSC guidelines, the disease-modifying ASD vigabatrin was widely used in children (58% below the age of 5 years), whereas treatment in adults did not necessarily reflect guideline preference for (partial) GABAergic ASDs. CONCLUSIONS The selection of ASDs for patients with TSC-associated epilepsy follows well-evaluated recommendations, including the guidelines regarding vigabatrin use in children. Several characteristics, such as the comparatively high frequency of valproate use and polytherapy, reflect the severity of TSC-associated epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Strzelczyk
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Epilepsy Center Hessen and Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Janina Grau
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Thomas Bast
- Epilepsy Center Kork, Clinic for Children and Adolescents, Kehl-Kork, Germany
| | - Astrid Bertsche
- Department of Neuropediatrics, University Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Rostock, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Hahn
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Hans Hartmann
- Clinic for Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Frauke Hornemann
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Leipzig University Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ilka Immisch
- Epilepsy Center Hessen and Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Julia Jacobs
- Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Disorders, Center for Pediatrics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg i.Br., Germany.,Department of Pediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kerstin A Klotz
- Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Disorders, Center for Pediatrics, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg i.Br., Germany.,Berta-Ottenstein-Programme, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg i.Br., Germany
| | - Gerhard Kluger
- Clinic for Neuropediatrics and Neurorehabilitation, Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents, Schön Klinikum Vogtareuth, Germany.,Research Institute, Rehabilitation, Transition and Palliation, PMU Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Susanne Knake
- Epilepsy Center Hessen and Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Markus Knuf
- Department of Pediatrics, Helios Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, Germany.,Department of Pediatrics, University Medicine Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Klaus Marquard
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Psychosomatics and Pain Management, Klinikum of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Thomas Mayer
- Epilepsy Center Kleinwachau, Dresden-Radeberg, Germany
| | - Sascha Meyer
- Department of Neuropediatrics, University Children´s Hospital of Saarland, Homburg, Germany
| | - Hiltrud Muhle
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel & University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Germany
| | - Karen Müller-Schlüter
- Epilepsy Center for Children, University Hospital Neuruppin, Brandenburg Medical School, Neuruppin, Germany
| | - Felix von Podewils
- Departmental of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Felix Rosenow
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Susanne Ruf
- Department of Neuropediatrics, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Sauter
- Klinikum Kempten, Klinikverbund Allgäu, Kempten/Allgäu, Germany
| | - Hannah Schäfer
- Division of Nephrology, Medizinische Klinik Und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der LMU München - Innenstadt, München, Germany.,Department of Nephrology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan-Ulrich Schlump
- Department of Neuropediatrics, University of Witten/Herdecke, Herdecke, Germany
| | - Susanne Schubert-Bast
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Department of Neuropediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Steffen Syrbe
- Division of Pediatric Epileptology, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Charlotte Thiels
- Department of Neuropediatrics and Social Pediatrics, St. Josef-Hospital, University Hospital of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Regina Trollmann
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Bernd Wilken
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Klinikum Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Bianca Zukunft
- Department of Nephrology and Internal Intensive Care, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johann Philipp Zöllner
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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10
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Karalis V, Bateup HS. Current Approaches and Future Directions for the Treatment of mTORopathies. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:143-158. [PMID: 33910214 PMCID: PMC8440338 DOI: 10.1159/000515672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a kinase at the center of an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway that orchestrates cell growth and metabolism. mTOR responds to an array of intra- and extracellular stimuli and in turn controls multiple cellular anabolic and catabolic processes. Aberrant mTOR activity is associated with numerous diseases, with particularly profound impact on the nervous system. mTOR is found in two protein complexes, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and 2 (mTORC2), which are governed by different upstream regulators and have distinct cellular actions. Mutations in genes encoding for mTOR regulators result in a collection of neurodevelopmental disorders known as mTORopathies. While these disorders can affect multiple organs, neuropsychiatric conditions such as epilepsy, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder have a major impact on quality of life. The neuropsychiatric aspects of mTORopathies have been particularly challenging to treat in a clinical setting. Current therapeutic approaches center on rapamycin and its analogs, drugs that are administered systemically to inhibit mTOR activity. While these drugs show some clinical efficacy, adverse side effects, incomplete suppression of mTOR targets, and lack of specificity for mTORC1 or mTORC2 may limit their utility. An increased understanding of the neurobiology of mTOR and the underlying molecular, cellular, and circuit mechanisms of mTOR-related disorders will facilitate the development of improved therapeutics. Animal models of mTORopathies have helped unravel the consequences of mTOR pathway mutations in specific brain cell types and developmental stages, revealing an array of disease-related phenotypes. In this review, we discuss current progress and potential future directions for the therapeutic treatment of mTORopathies with a focus on findings from genetic mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Karalis
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Helen S Bateup
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
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11
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Zimmer TS, Broekaart DWM, Gruber VE, van Vliet EA, Mühlebner A, Aronica E. Tuberous Sclerosis Complex as Disease Model for Investigating mTOR-Related Gliopathy During Epileptogenesis. Front Neurol 2020; 11:1028. [PMID: 33041976 PMCID: PMC7527496 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.01028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) represents the prototypic monogenic disorder of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway dysregulation. It provides the rational mechanistic basis of a direct link between gene mutation and brain pathology (structural and functional abnormalities) associated with a complex clinical phenotype including epilepsy, autism, and intellectual disability. So far, research conducted in TSC has been largely neuron-oriented. However, the neuropathological hallmarks of TSC and other malformations of cortical development also include major morphological and functional changes in glial cells involving astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, NG2 glia, and microglia. These cells and their interglial crosstalk may offer new insights into the common neurobiological mechanisms underlying epilepsy and the complex cognitive and behavioral comorbidities that are characteristic of the spectrum of mTOR-associated neurodevelopmental disorders. This review will focus on the role of glial dysfunction, the interaction between glia related to mTOR hyperactivity, and its contribution to epileptogenesis in TSC. Moreover, we will discuss how understanding glial abnormalities in TSC might give valuable insight into the pathophysiological mechanisms that could help to develop novel therapeutic approaches for TSC or other pathologies characterized by glial dysfunction and acquired mTOR hyperactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Till S Zimmer
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Diede W M Broekaart
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Erwin A van Vliet
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Angelika Mühlebner
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, Netherlands
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12
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Dressler A, Benninger F, Trimmel-Schwahofer P, Gröppel G, Porsche B, Abraham K, Mühlebner A, Samueli S, Male C, Feucht M. Efficacy and tolerability of the ketogenic diet versus high-dose adrenocorticotropic hormone for infantile spasms: A single-center parallel-cohort randomized controlled trial. Epilepsia 2019; 60:441-451. [DOI: 10.1111/epi.14679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Dressler
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Franz Benninger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | | | - Gudrun Gröppel
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Barbara Porsche
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Klaus Abraham
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Angelika Mühlebner
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Sharon Samueli
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Christoph Male
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Martha Feucht
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
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13
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Swaminathan A, Hassan-Abdi R, Renault S, Siekierska A, Riché R, Liao M, de Witte PAM, Yanicostas C, Soussi-Yanicostas N, Drapeau P, Samarut É. Non-canonical mTOR-Independent Role of DEPDC5 in Regulating GABAergic Network Development. Curr Biol 2018; 28:1924-1937.e5. [PMID: 29861134 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.04.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in DEPDC5 are causal factors for a broad spectrum of focal epilepsies, but the underlying pathogenic mechanisms are still largely unknown. To address this question, a zebrafish depdc5 knockout model showing spontaneous epileptiform events in the brain, increased drug-induced seizure susceptibility, general hypoactivity, premature death at 2-3 weeks post-fertilization, as well as the expected hyperactivation of mTOR signaling was developed. Using this model, the role of DEPDC5 in brain development was investigated using an unbiased whole-transcriptomic approach. Surprisingly, in addition to mTOR-associated genes, many genes involved in synaptic function, neurogenesis, axonogenesis, and GABA network activity were found to be dysregulated in larval brains. Although no gross defects in brain morphology or neuron loss were observed, immunostaining of depdc5-/- brains for several GABAergic markers revealed specific defects in the fine branching of the GABAergic network. Consistently, some defects in depdc5-/- could be compensated for by treatment with GABA, corroborating that GABA signaling is indeed involved in DEPDC5 pathogenicity. Further, the mTOR-independent nature of these neurodevelopmental defects was demonstrated by the inability of rapamycin to rescue the GABAergic network defects observed in depdc5-/- brains and, conversely, the inability of GABA to rescue the hypoactivity in another genetic model showing mTOR hyperactivation. This study hence provides the first in vivo evidence that DEPDC5 plays previously unknown roles apart from its canonical function as an mTOR inhibitor. Moreover, these results propose that defective neurodevelopment of GABAergic networks could be a key factor in epileptogenesis when DEPDC5 is mutated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrutha Swaminathan
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Center of the University of Montréal Hospital Center (CRCHUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9
| | - Rahma Hassan-Abdi
- Inserm, U1141, F-75019 Paris, France; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMRS 1141, F-75019 Paris, France
| | - Solène Renault
- Inserm, U1141, F-75019 Paris, France; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMRS 1141, F-75019 Paris, France
| | - Aleksandra Siekierska
- Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Raphaëlle Riché
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Center of the University of Montréal Hospital Center (CRCHUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9
| | - Meijiang Liao
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Center of the University of Montréal Hospital Center (CRCHUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9
| | - Peter A M de Witte
- Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Constantin Yanicostas
- Inserm, U1141, F-75019 Paris, France; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMRS 1141, F-75019 Paris, France
| | - Nadia Soussi-Yanicostas
- Inserm, U1141, F-75019 Paris, France; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMRS 1141, F-75019 Paris, France
| | - Pierre Drapeau
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Center of the University of Montréal Hospital Center (CRCHUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9; DanioDesign, Montréal, QC, Canada.
| | - Éric Samarut
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Center of the University of Montréal Hospital Center (CRCHUM), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 0A9; DanioDesign, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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14
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Stafstrom CE, Staedtke V, Comi AM. Epilepsy Mechanisms in Neurocutaneous Disorders: Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Neurofibromatosis Type 1, and Sturge-Weber Syndrome. Front Neurol 2017; 8:87. [PMID: 28367137 PMCID: PMC5355446 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurocutaneous disorders are multisystem diseases affecting skin, brain, and other organs. Epilepsy is very common in the neurocutaneous disorders, affecting up to 90% of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and Sturge–Weber syndrome (SWS), for example. The mechanisms underlying the increased predisposition to brain hyperexcitability differ between disorders, yet some molecular pathways overlap. For instance, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling cascade plays a central role in seizures and epileptogenesis in numerous acquired and genetic disorders, including several neurocutaneous disorders. Potential routes for target-specific treatments are emerging as the genetic and molecular pathways involved in neurocutaneous disorders become increasingly understood. This review explores the clinical features and mechanisms of epilepsy in three common neurocutaneous disorders—TSC, neurofibromatosis type 1, and SWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl E Stafstrom
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD , USA
| | - Verena Staedtke
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD , USA
| | - Anne M Comi
- Department of Neurology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, MD , USA
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15
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Hébert-Lalonde N, Carmant L, Major P, Roy MS, Lassonde M, Saint-Amour D. Electrophysiological Evidences of Visual Field Alterations in Children Exposed to Vigabatrin Early in Life. Pediatr Neurol 2016; 59:47-53. [PMID: 27105764 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2016.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We assessed central and peripheral visual field processing in children with epilepsy who were exposed to vigabatrin during infancy. METHODS Steady-state visual evoked potentials and pattern electroretinograms to field-specific radial checkerboards flickering at two cycle frequencies (7.5 and 6 Hz for central and peripheral stimulations, respectively) were recorded from Oz and at the eye in seven school-age children (10.1 ± 3.5 years) exposed to vigabatrin early in life, compared with children early exposed to other antiepileptic drugs (n = 9) and healthy children (n = 8). The stimulation was made of two concentric circles (0 to 5 and 30 to 60 degrees of angle) and presented at four contrast levels (96%, 64%, 32%, and 16%). RESULTS Ocular responses were similar in all groups for central but not for the peripheral stimulations, which were significantly lower in the vigabatrin-exposed group at high contrast level. This peripheral retinal response was negatively correlated to vigabatrin exposure duration. Cortical responses to central stimulations, including contrast response functions in the children with epilepsy in both groups, were lower than those in normally developing children. CONCLUSIONS Alteration of ocular processing was found only in the vigabatrin-exposed children. Central cortical processing, however, was impaired in both epileptic groups, with more pronounced effects in vigabatrin-exposed children. Our study suggests that asymptomatic long-term visual toxicity may still be present at school age, even several years after discontinuation of drug therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noémie Hébert-Lalonde
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Lionel Carmant
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine Hospital, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Philippe Major
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine Hospital, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Maryse Lassonde
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Dave Saint-Amour
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Ophtalmology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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16
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Jeong A, Wong M. Tuberous sclerosis complex as a model disease for developing new therapeutics for epilepsy. Expert Rev Neurother 2016; 16:437-47. [DOI: 10.1586/14737175.2016.1151788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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17
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Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic multisystem disorder characterized by widespread hamartomas in several organs, including the brain, heart, skin, eyes, kidney, lung, and liver. The affected genes are TSC1 and TSC2, encoding hamartin and tuberin respectively. The hamartin-tuberin complex inhibits the mammalian-target-of-Rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which controls cell growth and proliferation. Variations in the distribution, number, size, and location of lesions cause the clinical syndrome to vary even between relatives. About 85% of children and adolescents with TSC have CNS complications, including epilepsy, cognitive impairment, challenging behavioral problems, and autism-like symptoms. Epilepsy generally begins during the first year of life, with focal seizures and spasms. The discovery of the mTOR pathway upregulation in TSC-associated lesions presents new possibilities for treatment strategy. Increasing understanding of the molecular abnormalities caused by TSC may enable improved management of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Curatolo
- Department of Neuroscience, Pediatric Neurology Unit, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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18
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic multisystem disorder that affects the brain in almost every patient. It is caused by a mutation in the TSC1 or TSC2 genes, which regulate mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a key player in control of cellular growth and protein synthesis. The most frequent neurological symptoms are seizures, which occur in up to 90% of patients and often are intractable, followed by autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, and sleep problems. Conventional treatment has frequently proven insufficient for neurological and behavioral symptoms, particularly seizure control. This review focuses on the role of TSC/mTOR in neuronal development and network formation and recent mechanism-based treatment approaches. METHODS We performed a literature review to identify ongoing therapeutic challenges and novel strategies. RESULTS To achieve a better quality of life for many patients, current therapy approaches are directed at restoring dysregulated mTOR signaling. Studies in animals have provided insight into aberrant neuronal network formation caused by constitutive activation of the mTOR pathway, and initial studies in TSC patients using magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging and electroencephalogram support a model of impaired neuronal connectivity in TSC. Rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, has been used successfully in Tsc-deficient mice to prevent and treat seizures and behavioral abnormalities. There is recent evidence in humans of improved seizure control with mTOR inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS Current research provides insight into aberrant neuronal connectivity in TSC and the role of mTOR inhibitors as a promising therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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19
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Vigabatrin inhibits seizures and mTOR pathway activation in a mouse model of tuberous sclerosis complex. PLoS One 2013; 8:e57445. [PMID: 23437388 PMCID: PMC3577710 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2012] [Accepted: 01/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder and cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Although antiseizure medication is the first-line treatment for epilepsy, currently available medications are ineffective in a significant percentage of patients and have not clearly been demonstrated to have disease-specific effects for epilepsy. While seizures are usually intractable to medication in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a common genetic cause of epilepsy, vigabatrin appears to have unique efficacy for epilepsy in TSC. While vigabatrin increases gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels, the precise mechanism of action of vigabatrin in TSC is not known. In this study, we investigated the effects of vigabatrin on epilepsy in a knock-out mouse model of TSC and tested the novel hypothesis that vigabatrin inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, a key signaling pathway that is dysregulated in TSC. We found that vigabatrin caused a modest increase in brain GABA levels and inhibited seizures in the mouse model of TSC. Furthermore, vigabatrin partially inhibited mTOR pathway activity and glial proliferation in the knock-out mice in vivo, as well as reduced mTOR pathway activation in cultured astrocytes from both knock-out and control mice. This study identifies a potential novel mechanism of action of an antiseizure medication involving the mTOR pathway, which may account for the unique efficacy of this drug for a genetic epilepsy.
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20
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Fu C, Cawthon B, Clinkscales W, Bruce A, Winzenburger P, Ess KC. GABAergic interneuron development and function is modulated by the Tsc1 gene. Cereb Cortex 2012; 22:2111-9. [PMID: 22021912 PMCID: PMC3412444 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhr300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disease with severe neurologic and psychiatric manifestations including epilepsy, developmental delay, and autism. Despite much progress in defining abnormal signaling pathways including the contribution of increased mTORC1 signaling, specific abnormalities that underlie the severe neurologic features in TSC remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that epilepsy and autism in TSC result from abnormalities of γ-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) interneurons. To test this hypothesis, we generated conditional knockout mice with selective deletion of the Tsc1 gene in GABAergic interneuron progenitor cells. These interneuron-specific Tsc1 conditional knockout (CKO) mice have impaired growth and decreased survival. Cortical and hippocampal GABAergic interneurons of CKO mice are enlarged and show increased mTORC1 signaling. Total numbers of GABAergic cells are reduced in the cortex with differential reduction of specific GABAergic subtypes. Ectopic clusters of cells with increased mTORC1 signaling are also seen suggesting impaired interneuron migration. The functional consequences of these cellular changes are evident in the decreased seizure threshold on exposure to the proconvulsant flurothyl. These findings support an important role for the Tsc1 gene during GABAergic interneuron development, function, and possibly migration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Kevin C. Ess
- Department of Neurology
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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21
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Mori K, Mori T, Toda Y, Fujii E, Miyazaki M, Harada M, Kagami S. Decreased benzodiazepine receptor and increased GABA level in cortical tubers in tuberous sclerosis complex. Brain Dev 2012; 34:478-86. [PMID: 21959128 DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2011.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2011] [Revised: 08/30/2011] [Accepted: 09/03/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To elucidate the functional characteristics of cortical tubers that might be responsible for epilepsy in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) and [123I] iomazenil (123I-IMZ) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were performed. METHODS (1)H-MRS using a clinical 3-tesla magnetic resonance imager was performed in four children with TSC and 10 age-and sex-matched healthy control subjects. A single voxel was set on the right parietal lobe in control subjects. In patients with TSC, a single voxel was set on the epileptogenic tuber in the parietal or temporal lobe, and another voxel was set on the contralateral normal-appearing brain region. N-Acetylaspartate (NAA), myo-Inositol (mIns) and Glutamate (Glu) were analyzed using a conventional STEAM (Stimulated Echo Acquisition Mode) method. The concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was quantified using MEGA-Point Resolved Spectroscopy (PRESS). Interictal 123I-IMZ SPECT was examined in all four patients with TSC. RESULTS A significant decrease in the NAA concentration and significant increases in the mIns and GABA concentrations were detected in the cortical tubers of all 4 patients. No significant difference was observed in Glu concentrations. In all of the cortical tubers detected by magnetic resonance imaging, 123I-IMZ binding was significantly decreased. CONCLUSION Epileptogenesis in TSC might be caused by decreased inhibition secondary to the decrease in GABA receptors in dysplastic neurons of cortical tubers. An increase in the GABA concentration may compensate for decreased inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Mori
- Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
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Abstract
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder, characterized by the presence of hamartomatous lesions involving different organ systems, including the brain. Epilepsy is the most common presenting symptom, representing a major source of morbidity and mortality. Despite multiple antiepileptic drug combinations, in about two thirds of cases the patients present high-frequency drug-resistant epilepsy, and nonpharmacologic options may be considered. The aim of this work was to point out the current knowledge on epileptogenesis in TSC, the available medical therapies and diagnostic tools, and possible surgical strategies, with the intent to better understand the actual difficulties in controlling seizures and the results reported in the literature. There is also a section dedicated to the common association with cognitive impairment and the role of epilepsy control on its outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Novegno
- Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Catholic University Medical School, Rome, Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Kurlemann
- Neuropediatric Department, University Hospital Munster, Munster, Germany.
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Elliott RE, Rodgers SD, Bassani L, Morsi A, Geller EB, Carlson C, Devinsky O, Doyle WK. Vagus nerve stimulation for children with treatment-resistant epilepsy: a consecutive series of 141 cases. J Neurosurg Pediatr 2011; 7:491-500. [PMID: 21529189 DOI: 10.3171/2011.2.peds10505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECT The authors undertook this study to analyze the efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in a large consecutive series of children 18 years of age and younger with treatment-resistant epilepsy and compare the safety and efficacy in children under 12 years of age with the outcomes in older children. METHODS The authors retrospectively reviewed 141 consecutive cases involving children (75 girls and 66 boys) with treatment-resistant epilepsy in whom primary VNS implantation was performed by the senior author between November 1997 and April 2008 and who had at least 1 year of follow-up since implantation. The patients' mean age at vagus nerve stimulator insertion was 11.1 years (range 1-18 years). Eighty-six children (61.0%) were younger than 12 years at time of VNS insertion (which constitutes off-label usage of this device). RESULTS Follow-up was complete for 91.8% of patients and the mean duration of VNS therapy in these patients was 5.2 years (range 25 days-11.4 years). Seizure frequency significantly improved with VNS therapy (mean reduction 58.9%, p < 0.0001) without a significant reduction in antiepileptic medication burden (median number of antiepileptic drugs taken 3, unchanged). Reduction in seizure frequency of at least 50% occurred in 64.8% of patients and 41.4% of patients experienced at least a 75% reduction. Major (3) and minor (6) complications occurred in 9 patients (6.4%) and included 1 deep infection requiring device removal, 1 pneumothorax, 2 superficial infections treated with antibiotics, 1 seroma/hematoma treated with aspiration, persistent cough in 1 patient, severe but transient neck pain in 1 patient, and hoarseness in 2 patients. There was no difference in efficacy or complications between children 12 years of age and older (FDA-approved indication) and those younger than 12 years of age (off-label usage). Linear regression analyses did not identify any demographic and clinical variables that predicted response to VNS. CONCLUSIONS Vagus nerve stimulation is a safe and effective treatment for treatment-resistant epilepsy in young adults and children. Over 50% of patients experienced at least 50% reduction in seizure burden. Children younger than 12 years had a response similar to that of older children with no increase in complications. Given the efficacy of this device and the devastating effects of persistent epilepsy during critical developmental epochs, randomized trials are needed to potentially expand the indications for VNS to include younger children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Elliott
- Departments of Neurosurgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
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25
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26
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Abstract
This epileptic disorder has become a classic topic for neuropediatricians and the interest is documented by the large number of publications on this subject.The relative frequency among the epileptic syndromes is an another reason why not only neuropediatricians but also general pediatricians must be fully informed about diagnostic, clinical, imaging and genetic aspects.Early diagnosis is of paramount importance in order to obtain even complete results in patients with so called idiopathic situations. A number of problems are still to be solved. There is no agreement on the type and the schedule of treatment. A common denominator about this problem is not jet available even if some advances in this regard have been accomplished. Of paramount importance is an accurate clinical and laboratory examination as a prerequisite regarding prognosis and results of therapy in every single case.However, even if more than 170 years have elapsed since the first communication of dr. West on the peculiar syndrome that his child was suffering of, the interest of scientists on this subject has now been enriched and rewarded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fois
- Institute of Clinical Pediatrics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Elliott RE, Carlson C, Kalhorn SP, Moshel YA, Weiner HL, Devinsky O, Doyle WK. Refractory epilepsy in tuberous sclerosis: vagus nerve stimulation with or without subsequent resective surgery. Epilepsy Behav 2009; 16:454-60. [PMID: 19767244 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2009.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2009] [Revised: 08/14/2009] [Accepted: 08/19/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The goal of the work described here was to assess the efficacy and safety of vagus nerve stimulation in a cohort of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex with refractory epilepsy. Furthermore, we examined the impact of vagus nerve stimulation failure on the ultimate outcome following subsequent intracranial epilepsy surgery. METHODS A retrospective review was performed on 19 patients with refractory epilepsy and TSC who underwent vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) implantation. There were 11 (58%) females and 8 (42%) males aged 2 to 44 years when the VNS was implanted (mean: 14.7+/-12 years). Twelve patients underwent primary VNS implantation after having failed a mean of 7.1 antiepileptic drugs. Two patients (17%) had generalized epilepsy, one had a single seizure focus, three (25%) had multifocal epilepsy, and six (50%) had multifocal and generalized epilepsy. Seven patients were referred for device removal and evaluation for intracranial procedures. One patient in the primary implantation group was lost to follow-up and excluded from outcome analysis. RESULTS All implantations and removals were performed without permanent complications. The duration of treatment for primary VNS implants varied from 8.5 months to 9.6 years (mean: 4.9 years). Mean seizure frequency significantly improved following VNS implantation (mean reduction: 72%, P<0.002). Two patients had Engel Class I (18%), one had Class II (9%), seven had Class III (64%), and one had Class IV (9%) outcome. Three patients with poor response to vagus nerve stimulation therapy at our center underwent resection of one or more seizure foci (Engel Class I, two patients; Engel Class III, one patient). Seven patients referred to our center for VNS removal and craniotomy underwent seizure focus resection (6) or corpus callosotomy (1) (Engel Class II: 2, Engel III: 2; Engel IV: 3). In total, 8 of 10 (80%) patients experienced improved seizure control following intracranial surgery (mean reduction: 65%, range: 0-100%, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS VNS is a safe and effective treatment option for medically refractory epilepsy in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex. Nine of 11 patients (82%) experienced at least a 67% reduction in seizure burden. Lack of response to vagus nerve stimulation does not preclude subsequent improvement in seizure burden with intracranial epilepsy surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Elliott
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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Napolioni V, Moavero R, Curatolo P. Recent advances in neurobiology of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. Brain Dev 2009; 31:104-13. [PMID: 19028034 DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2008.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2008] [Accepted: 09/26/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a multisystem genetic disorder with variable phenotypic expression, due to a mutation in one of the two genes, TSC1 and TSC2, and a subsequent hyperactivation of the downstream mTOR pathway, resulting in increased cell growth and proliferation. The central nervous system is consistently involved in TSC, with 90% of individuals affected showing structural abnormalities, and almost all having some degree of CNS clinical manifestations, including seizures, cognitive impairment and behavioural problems. TSC is proving to be a particularly informative model for studying contemporary issues in developmental neurosciences. Recent advances in the neurobiology of TSC from molecular biology, molecular genetics, and animal model studies provide a better understanding of the pathogenesis of TSC-related neurological symptoms. Rapamycin normalizes the dysregulated mTOR pathway, and recent clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy in various TSC manifestations, suggesting the possibility that rapamycin may have benefit in the treatment of TSC brain disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerio Napolioni
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
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29
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Medical treatment in children with central nervous system malformations. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2008. [PMID: 18809044 DOI: 10.1016/s0072-9752(07)87030-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis is a genetic multisystem disorder characterised by widespread hamartomas in several organs, including the brain, heart, skin, eyes, kidney, lung, and liver. The affected genes are TSC1 and TSC2, encoding hamartin and tuberin respectively. The hamartin-tuberin complex inhibits the mammalian-target-of-rapamycin pathway, which controls cell growth and proliferation. Variations in the distribution, number, size, and location of lesions cause the clinical syndrome to vary, even between relatives. Most features of tuberous sclerosis become evident only in childhood after 3 years of age, limiting their usefulness for early diagnosis. Identification of patients at risk for severe manifestations is crucial. Increasing understanding of the molecular abnormalities caused by tuberous sclerosis may enable improved management of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Curatolo
- Department of Neurosciences, Paediatric Neurology Unit, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
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Camposano SE, Major P, Halpern E, Thiele EA. Vigabatrin in the treatment of childhood epilepsy: a retrospective chart review of efficacy and safety profile. Epilepsia 2008; 49:1186-91. [PMID: 18479386 DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01589.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To review the efficacy, cognitive outcome and safety profile in children treated with vigabatrin (VGB) for infantile spasms (IS) and partial epilepsies related to tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and other etiologies. METHODS Retrospective review of children followed in the Pediatric Epilepsy Program of Massachusetts General Hospital for Children between May 2001 and March 2006 who were treated with VGB. RESULTS Eighty-four children were treated with VGB, 68 of them were treated for IS, and 59 were treated for partial seizures (PS). Etiology (TSC or other) was the only predictive factor for IS control with VGB (p < 0.0003). IS control was achieved in 73% of children with TSC and 27% of children with other etiologies (combined 56%). Partial onset seizures were controlled in 34% of all children, (17% seizure free,17%reduction in seizure frequency >50%) and no predictive factor was found. Shorter time from seizure onset to VGB treatment (p < 0.027) and longer total time on VGB (p < 0.045) was associated with better IQ-developmental quotient (DQ) outcome in children treated for IS, but not with IS control. Adverse events were seen in 13%. Electroretinogram and/or behavioral visual field (VF) testing was done in 52%. VGB was discontinued in one case due to abnormal electroretinogram (ERG) findings. CONCLUSION We confirm the efficacy of VGB in the treatment of IS and PS in an American population. VGB may improve cognitive outcome in the absence of complete IS control, but this finding is of uncertain clinical significance. VGB was well tolerated, and ophthalmologic side effects were uncommon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana E Camposano
- Pediatric Epilepsy Service, Neurology Department, Massachusettes General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
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Valencia I, Legido A, Yelin K, Khurana D, Kothare SV, Katsetos CD. Anomalous inhibitory circuits in cortical tubers of human tuberous sclerosis complex associated with refractory epilepsy: aberrant expression of parvalbumin and calbindin-D28k in dysplastic cortex. J Child Neurol 2006; 21:1058-63. [PMID: 17156698 DOI: 10.1177/7010.2006.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Damage or loss of inhibitory cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons is associated with impaired inhibitory control of neocortical pyramidal cells, leading to hyperexcitability and epileptogenesis. The calcium binding proteins parvalbumin and calbindin-D(28k) are expressed in subpopulations of GABAergic local circuit neurons in the neocortex and can serve as neuronotypic markers. Parvalbumin and calbindin-D(28k) facilitate the neuron's ability to sustain firing and provide neuroprotection. The goal of this study was to assess the hitherto unknown status of inhibitory interneurons in cortical tubers of human tuberous sclerosis complex. Surgically excised cortical tubers from three patients with tuberous sclerosis complex were evaluated immunohistochemically with antibodies to parvalbumin and calbindin-D(28k). Cortical specimens from young patients with intractable seizures, including microdysgenesis (n = 3), postischemic cortical scarring (n = 1), porencephaly (n = 1), postictal gliosis (n = 3), and low-grade neuronal or glial tumors (n = 5), were also examined for comparison. In cortical tubers, calcium binding protein immunoreactivities (calbindin-D(28k) > parvalbumin) were present in medium- or large-size dysplastic neurons, whereas giant or ballooned cells were parvalbumin or calbindin-D(28k) negative. In microdysgenesis, a nearly normal number of parvalbumin-positive neurons and a decreased number of calbindin-D(28k)-positive neurons were present. In peritumoral but more so in gliotic cortex, a coordinate decrease of parvalbumin and calbindin-D(28k) immunoreactivities was present. Our findings indicate that the expression of parvalbumin or calbindin-D(28k) by subpopulations of dysplastic neurons in cortical tubers is aberrant and denotes dysfunctional inhibitory circuits inept for excitoprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Valencia
- Department of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine, Section of Neurology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Abstract
In the last 12 years, 10 new anticonvulsants have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and, as a result, the treatment options for children and adults with epilepsy have been expanded considerably. These new generation antiepileptic drugs offer equal efficacy with improved tolerability, pharmacokinetic properties, and side effect profiles compared with the traditional drugs. With many new medications available, the clinician treating children with epilepsy must be well versed in the application of these drugs to their patient population. This manuscript will review the indications, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, adverse effects, and dosing of the new generation of anticonvulsant medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Donner
- Division of Neurology and Program in Brain and Behavior, Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, MSG 1X8 Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Rosser T, Panigrahy A, McClintock W. The diverse clinical manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex: a review. Semin Pediatr Neurol 2006; 13:27-36. [PMID: 16818173 DOI: 10.1016/j.spen.2006.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant multisystem neurocutaneous disorder. TSC results in hamartomatous lesions primarily involving the skin, central nervous system, kidneys, eyes, heart, and lungs. The clinical findings and severity of TSC are highly variable. Recent advances in our understanding of the complexities of the TSC1 and TSC2 genes are making genotype-phenotype correlations possible. While managing seizures, cognitive dysfunction, and behavioral abnormalities are the primary responsibility of the neurologist, familiarity with all aspects of this disease helps provide better comprehensive care for affected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tena Rosser
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
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36
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Donner
- Division of Neurology and Program in Brain and Behavior, Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Abstract
PURPOSE Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a condition that is frequently associated with intractable, early-onset epilepsy, and often is first seen as infantile spasms. If medications fail and no clear epileptogenic tuber is identified, nonpharmacologic therapies are often attempted. The use of the ketogenic diet specifically for children with TSC and epilepsy has not been previously described. METHODS A chart review was performed of patients with TSC treated with the ketogenic diet over a 5-year period at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. RESULTS Twelve children, ages 8 months to 18 years, were identified. Eleven (92%) children had a >50% reduction in their seizures at 6 months on the diet, and 8 (67%) had a >90% response. Five children had at least a 5-month seizure-free response. Diet duration ranged from 2 months to 5 years (mean, 2 years). CONCLUSIONS In this limited-duration case series of 12 patients, the ketogenic diet was a generally effective therapeutic modality for the intractable epilepsy occasionally seen in children with TSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric H Kossoff
- Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, The John M. Freeman Pediatric Epilepsy Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 212871000, USA.
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Izumi Y, Ishikawa M, Benz AM, Izumi M, Zorumski CF, Thio LL. Acute vigabatrin retinotoxicity in albino rats depends on light but not GABA. Epilepsia 2004; 45:1043-8. [PMID: 15329067 DOI: 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2004.01004.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Vigabatrin (VGB) is an irreversible inhibitor of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transaminase. Its use as an antiepileptic drug (AED) has been limited because it causes retinal dysfunction, leading to visual field defects (VFDs). We performed this study to identify factors contributing to acute VGB retinotoxicity. METHODS In ex vivo experiments, Sprague-Dawley rat retinas were isolated and incubated with VGB or GABA in the presence or absence of light. In in vivo experiments, Sprague-Dawley rats were given intraperitoneal injections of VGB and then exposed to light or kept in the dark. The retinas were analyzed histologically by using both light and electron microscopy. RESULTS Incubating retinas with 50-500 microM VGB under 20,000 Lux white light for < or = 20 h caused a characteristic time- and dose-dependent degeneration limited to the outer retina. Incubating retinas with 500 microM VGB in darkness for 20 h caused no damage. Five hundred micromolar GABA and 50 microM tiagabine were not toxic in the presence or absence of light. Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to an intense white light for 20 h after a 1,000-mg/kg intraperitoneal injection of VGB showed damage in the outer retina, whereas those kept in the dark did not. CONCLUSIONS Direct exposure of the retina to VGB causes acute retinotoxicity that depends on light exposure rather than GABA accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukitoshi Izumi
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
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Curatolo P, Porfirio MC, Manzi B, Seri S. Autism in tuberous sclerosis. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2004; 8:327-32. [PMID: 15542389 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2004.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2004] [Accepted: 08/19/2004] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite considerable progress in the last few years, the neurobiologic basis of autism in tuberous sclerosis complex is still largely unknown and its clinical management represents a major challenge for child neurologists. Recent evidence suggests that early-onset refractory epilepsy and functional deficits associated with the anatomical lesions in the temporal lobes may be associated with autism. No one factor alone (cognitive impairment, tuber localization, occurrence of infantile spasms, focal EEG abnormalities), can be causally linked with the abnormal behaviour. Autism may also reflect a direct effect of the abnormal genetic program. Incidence of autism associated with Tuberous Sclerosis may be significantly higher than the rates of cardiac and renal abnormalities, for which screening is routinely conducted in this population. Hopefully, early diagnosis of autism will allow for earlier treatment and the potential for better outcome for children with Tuberous Sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Curatolo
- Department of Neurosciences, Pediatric Neurology Unit, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Via di Tor Vergata 135, 00133 Rome, Italy.
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Wheless JW, Sankar R. Treatment Strategies for Myoclonic Seizures and Epilepsy Syndromes with Myoclonic Seizures. Epilepsia 2003; 44 Suppl 11:27-37. [PMID: 14641568 DOI: 10.1046/j.1528-1157.44.s11.5.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite the availability of numerous treatment options, the diagnosis and treatment of myoclonic seizures continue to be challenging. Based on clinical experience, valproate and benzodiazepines have historically been used to treat myoclonic seizures. However, many more treatment options exist today, and the clinician must match the appropriate treatment with the patient's epilepsy syndrome and its underlying etiology. Comorbidities and other medications must also be considered when making decisions regarding treatment. Rarely, some antiepileptic drugs may exacerbate myoclonic seizures. Most epileptic myoclonus can be treated pharmacologically, but some cases respond better to surgery, the ketogenic diet, or vagus nerve stimulation. Because myoclonic seizures can be difficult to treat, clinicians should be flexible in their approach and tailor therapy to each patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Wheless
- Department of Neurology and Pediatrics, Texas Comprehensive Epilepsy Program,University of Texas - Houston, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
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Abstract
Childhood epilepsy is a common condition, with an annual incidence of approximately 40 of 100,000 in the first decade of life. Although childhood epilepsy is more likely to remit than epilepsy in adults, the developmental and social impact of epilepsy during childhood may extend beyond the childhood years, affecting the individual's potential in cognitive, emotional and socio-economic arenas. The goal of medical management of childhood epilepsy is seizure freedom, with minimal or no adverse effects. Achievement of this goal is crucial in the effort to minimise the long-term disabilities associated with childhood epilepsy. Pharmacotherapy is a cornerstone of management of childhood epilepsy. This review addresses some of the challenges in treatment of epilepsy, which are unique to childhood, and reviews the newer anticonvulsants available and what is known about their role in childhood epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Bergin
- Division of Epilepsy & Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Childrens' Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Abstract
The introduction of these new antiepileptic drugs, from felbamate to levetiracetam, raised hope of control of epilepsy with fewer adverse effects and improved quality of life. Unfortunately, many patients continue to experience refractory epilepsy despite the use of these new agents, and dose-related adverse effects and idiosyncratic reactions continue to be problematic. A recent report describes six new compounds in preclinical development, and five in clinical trials [131]. As the number of available, effective, but imperfect antiepileptic drugs increases, many challenges remain. These include: choosing the drug appropriate for the epileptic syndrome, assessing accurately the range of a drug's adverse effects in an individual patient, and considering carefully the drug's interactions in combination drug therapy. In considering drug combinations, differing mechanisms of drug action and favorable pharmacodynamic interactions (an area requiring additional studies) are of importance. Clinicians caring for children who have epilepsy anticipate further advances in the pharmacogenetics and molecular pathophysiology of epilepsy, leading to individually tailored, effective, and safe therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Bergin
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, HU2, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Abstract
Infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are rare but are important to child neurologists because of the intractable nature of the seizures and the serious neurologic comorbidities. New antiepileptic drugs offer more alternatives for treating both infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Selected children with infantile spasms are candidates for epilepsy surgery. Vagus nerve stimulation, corpus callosotomy, and the ketogenic diet are all options for selected children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. The epidemiology, clinical manifestations of the seizures, electroencephalographic characteristics, prognosis, and treatment options are reviewed for infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Additional therapies are needed for both infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome as many children fail to achieve adequate seizure control in spite of newer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Trevathan
- Pediatric Epilepsy Center, St. Louis Children's Hospital, MO 63110-1093, USA.
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