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Fang S, Zhu C, Zhang J, Wu L, Zhang Y, Huang H, Lin W. EEG microstates in epilepsy with and without cognitive dysfunction: Alteration in intrinsic brain activity. Epilepsy Behav 2024; 154:109729. [PMID: 38513568 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109729] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the difference between epilepsy comorbid with and without cognitive dysfunction. METHOD Participants were classified into patients with epilepsy comorbid cognitive dysfunction (PCCD) and patients with epilepsy without comorbid cognitive dysfunction (nPCCD). Microstate analysis was applied based on 20-channel electroencephalography (EEG) to detect the dynamic changes in the whole brain. The coverage, occurrence per second, duration, and transition probability were calculated. RESULT The occurrence per second and the coverage of microstate B in the PCCD group were higher than that of the nPCCD group. Coverage in microstate D was lower in the PCCD group than in the nPCCD group. In addition, the PCCD group has a higher probability of A to B and B to A transitions and a lower probability of A to D and D to A transitions. CONCLUSION Our research scrutinizes the disparities observed within EEG microstates among epilepsy patients both with and without comorbid cognitive dysfunction. SIGNIFICANCE EEG microstate analysis offers a novel metric for assessing neuropsychiatric disorders and supplies evidence for investigating the mechanisms and the dynamic change of epilepsy comorbid cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenzhi Fang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China
| | - Chaofeng Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China
| | - Jinying Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China
| | - Luyan Wu
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China
| | - Yuying Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China
| | - Huapin Huang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fuzhou, PR China; Department of Geriatrics, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China.
| | - Wanhui Lin
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, PR China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fuzhou, PR China.
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Benoist C, Boccaletti S, Leach JP, Cattaneo A, Chaplin A, Antunes L, Heiman F, Sander JW. Characterising people with focal drug-resistant epilepsy: A retrospective cohort study. Epilepsy Behav 2023; 149:109540. [PMID: 38006844 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe the demographics, clinical characteristics, drug treatment outcomes, healthcare resource utilization, and injuries among people with focal drug-resistant epilepsy (F-DRE) analysed separately for six European countries. METHODS We used electronic medical record data from six European (Belgium, Spain, Italy, France, UK and Germany) primary care/specialist care databases to identify antiseizure medication (ASM) treatment-naïve people (aged ≥ 18 years at F-DRE diagnosis). They were followed from their epilepsy diagnosis until death, the date of last record available, or study end. We used descriptive analyses to characterise the F-DRE cohort, and results were reported by country. RESULTS One-thousand-seventy individuals with F-DRE were included (mean age 52.5 years; 55.4 % female). The median follow-up time from the first diagnosis to the end of the follow-up was 95.5 months across all countries. The frequency of F-DRE diagnosis in 2021 ranged from 8.8 % in Italy to 18.2 % in Germany. Psychiatric disorders were the most common comorbidity across all countries. Frequently reported psychiatric disorders were depression (26.7 %) and anxiety (11.8 %). The median time from epilepsy diagnosis to the first ASM failure ranged from 5.9 (4.2-10.2) months in France to 12.6 (5.8-20.4) months in Spain. Levetiracetam and lamotrigine were the most commonly used ASM monotherapies in all countries. Consultation with a general practitioner is sought more frequently after F-DRE diagnosis than after epilepsy diagnosis, except in the UK. SIGNIFICANCE No one ASM is optimal for all people with F-DRE, and the risks and benefits of the ASM must be considered. Comorbidities must be an integral part of the management strategy and drive the choice of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Anna Chaplin
- IQVIA Solutions; Via Fabio Filzi 29, 20124 Milano; Italy
| | - Luis Antunes
- IQVIA Solutions; Via Fabio Filzi 29, 20124 Milano; Italy
| | - Franca Heiman
- IQVIA Solutions; Via Fabio Filzi 29, 20124 Milano; Italy.
| | - Josemir W Sander
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede 2103 SW, the Netherlands; Neurology Department, West of China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 61004, China
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Chaudhry N, Bergey GK, Kaplan PW, Johnson EL. Life Stressors During Pregnancy in Women With Epilepsy: Results From the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. Neurology 2023; 100:e2424-e2431. [PMID: 37072226 PMCID: PMC10264049 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000207274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES To compare specific life stressors and domestic abuse that pregnant women and others with epilepsy (WWE) experience compared with pregnant women and others without epilepsy (WWoE). METHODS The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is an annual weighted survey of randomly sampled postpartum women administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We used data from the PRAMS from 2012 to 2020 in 13 states to assess the life stressors reported by WWE compared with WWoE. We adjusted the data for maternal age, race, ethnicity, marital status, education, and socioeconomic status (SES; using income, Women, Infants, and Children program [WIC], and Medicaid use). We also examined reported abuse in WWE compared with WWoE. RESULTS This study included data from 64,951 postpartum women, representing 4,072,189 women through weighted sampling. Of these, 1,140 reported having a diagnosis of epilepsy in the 3 months before their pregnancies (representing 81,021 WWE). WWE experienced a higher number of stressors compared with WWoE. WWE were more likely to have experienced 9 of the 14 stressors asked in the PRAMS questionnaire: severe illness of a close family member, separation or divorce, homelessness, loss of a partner's job, cut in work hours or pay, arguing more than usual with their partner, serving jail time, substance abuse problem in a close contact, and death of a close contact. After adjusting for demographics (age, race, and SES), epilepsy was still associated with a higher number of stressors in pregnant women. Other factors associated with stressors were younger age, Indigenous or mixed race, non-Hispanic ethnicity, lower income, and WIC or Medicaid use. Those who were married were less likely to report stressors. WWE were also more likely to report abuse before or during their pregnancies. DISCUSSION Although managing stress is important in both epilepsy and pregnancy, WWE experience more stressors than do WWoE. After adjusting for maternal age, race, and SES, this increase in stressors persisted. Women who were younger, with lower income, on WIC or Medicaid, or not married were also more likely to experience life stressors. Alarmingly, reported abuse was also higher in WWE compared with WWoE. Attention from clinicians and support services for WWE are needed to optimize good pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveed Chaudhry
- From the Department of Neurology (N.C.), University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver; and Department of Neurology (G.K.B., P.W.K., E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
| | - Gregory K Bergey
- From the Department of Neurology (N.C.), University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver; and Department of Neurology (G.K.B., P.W.K., E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Peter W Kaplan
- From the Department of Neurology (N.C.), University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver; and Department of Neurology (G.K.B., P.W.K., E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Emily L Johnson
- From the Department of Neurology (N.C.), University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver; and Department of Neurology (G.K.B., P.W.K., E.L.J.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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Gu J, Ke P, Guo H, Liu J, Liu Y, Tian X, Huang Z, Xu X, Xu D, Ma Y, Wang X, Xiao F. KCTD13-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of GluN1 regulates excitatory synaptic transmission and seizure susceptibility. Cell Death Differ 2023:10.1038/s41418-023-01174-5. [PMID: 37142655 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-023-01174-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common and severe form of epilepsy in adults; however, its underlying pathomechanisms remain elusive. Dysregulation of ubiquitination is increasingly recognized to contribute to the development and maintenance of epilepsy. Herein, we observed for the first time that potassium channel tetramerization domain containing 13 (KCTD13) protein, a substrate-specific adapter for cullin3-based E3 ubiquitin ligase, was markedly down-regulated in the brain tissue of patients with TLE. In a TLE mouse model, the protein expression of KCTD13 dynamically changed during epileptogenesis. Knockdown of KCTD13 in the mouse hippocampus significantly enhanced seizure susceptibility and severity, whereas overexpression of KCTD13 showed the opposite effect. Mechanistically, GluN1, an obligatory subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptors (NMDARs), was identified as a potential substrate protein of KCTD13. Further investigation revealed that KCTD13 facilitates lysine-48-linked polyubiquitination of GluN1 and its degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Besides, the lysine residue 860 of GluN1 is the main ubiquitin site. Importantly, dysregulation of KCTD13 affected membrane expression of glutamate receptors and impaired glutamate synaptic transmission. Systemic administration of the NMDAR inhibitor memantine significantly rescued the epileptic phenotype aggravated by KCTD13 knockdown. In conclusion, our results demonstrated an unrecognized pathway of KCTD13-GluN1 in epilepsy, suggesting KCTD13 as a potential neuroprotective therapeutic target for epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Gu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Pingyang Ke
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Haokun Guo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xin Tian
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Zhuo Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, 100191, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Xu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Demei Xu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yuanlin Ma
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xuefeng Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China.
| | - Fei Xiao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, Chongqing, 400016, China.
- Institute for Brain Science and Disease of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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The P2X7 Receptor as a Mechanistic Biomarker for Epilepsy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065410. [PMID: 36982485 PMCID: PMC10049244 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy, characterized by recurrent spontaneous seizures, is a heterogeneous group of brain diseases affecting over 70 million people worldwide. Major challenges in the management of epilepsy include its diagnosis and treatment. To date, video electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring is the gold-standard diagnostic method, with no molecular biomarker in routine clinical use. Moreover, treatment based on anti-seizure medications (ASMs) remains ineffective in 30% of patients, and, even if seizure-suppressive, lacks disease-modifying potential. Current epilepsy research is, therefore, mainly focussed on the identification of new drugs with a different mechanism of action effective in patients not responding to current ASMs. The vast heterogeneity of epilepsy syndromes, including differences in underlying pathology, comorbidities and disease progression, represents, however, a particular challenge in drug discovery. Optimal treatment most likely requires the identification of new drug targets combined with diagnostic methods to identify patients in need of a specific treatment. Purinergic signalling via extracellularly released ATP is increasingly recognized to contribute to brain hyperexcitability and, consequently, drugs targeting this signalling system have been proposed as a new therapeutic strategy for epilepsy. Among the purinergic ATP receptors, the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) has attracted particular attention as a novel target for epilepsy treatment, with P2X7Rs contributing to unresponsiveness to ASMs and drugs targeting the P2X7R modulating acute seizure severity and suppressing seizures during epilepsy. In addition, P2X7R expression has been reported to be altered in the brain and circulation in experimental models of epilepsy and patients, making it both a potential therapeutic and diagnostic target. The present review provides an update on the newest findings regarding P2X7R-based treatments for epilepsy and discusses the potential of P2X7R as a mechanistic biomarker.
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Fang Q, Zheng S, Chen Q, Chen L, Yang Y, Wang Y, Zhang H, Chen J. The protective effect of inhibiting mitochondrial fission on the juvenile rat brain following PTZ kindling through inhibiting the BCL2L13/LC3 mitophagy pathway. Metab Brain Dis 2023; 38:453-466. [PMID: 36094724 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-022-01077-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Maintaining the balance of mitochondrial fission and mitochondrial autophagy on seizures is helpful to find a solution to control seizures and reduce brain injuries. The present study is to investigate the protective effect of inhibiting mitochondrial fission on brain injury in juvenile rat epilepsy induced by pentatetrazol (PTZ) by inhibiting the BCL2L13/LC3-mediated mitophagy pathway. PTZ was injected (40 mg/kg) to induce kindling once every other day, for a total of 15 times. In the PTZ + DMSO (DMSO), PTZ + Mdivi-1 (Mdivi-1), and PTZ + WY14643 (WY14643) groups, rats were pretreated with DMSO, Mdivi-1 and WY14643 for half an hour prior to PTZ injection. The seizure attacks of young rats were observed for 30 min after model establishment. The Morris water maze (MWM) was used to test the cognition of experimental rats. After the test, the numbers of NeuN(+) neurons and GFAP(+) astrocytes were observed and counted by immunofluorescence (IF). The protein expression levels of Drp1, BCL2L13, LC3 and caspase 3 in the hippocampus of young rats were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting (WB). Compared with the PTZ and DMSO groups, the seizure latency in the Mdivi-1 group was longer (P < 0.01), and the severity degree and frequency of seizures were lower (P < 0.01). The MWM test showed that the incubation periods of crossing the platform in the Mdivi-1 group was significantly shorter. The number of platform crossings, the platform stay time, and the ratio of residence time/total stay time were significantly increased in the Mdivi-1 group (P < 0.01). The IF results showed that the number of NeuN(+) neurons in the Mdivi-1 group was greater, while the number of GFAP(+) astrocytes was lower. IHC and WB showed that the average optical density (AOD) and relative protein expression levels of Drp1, BCL2L13, LC3 and caspase 3 in the hippocampi of rats in the Mdivi-1 group were higher (P < 0.05). The above results in the WY14643 group were opposite to those in the Mdivi-1 group. Inhibition of mitochondrial fission could reduce seizure attacks, protect injured neurons, and improve cognition following PTZ-induced epilepsy by inhibiting mitochondrial autophagy mediated by the BCL2L13/LC3 mitophagy pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Fang
- Department of Pediatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, 134 East Street, Gulou District, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
| | - Shaojuan Zheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, 134 East Street, Gulou District, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China
| | - Qiaobin Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, 134 East Street, Gulou District, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China.
| | - Lang Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, 134 East Street, Gulou District, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China
| | - Yating Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, 134 East Street, Gulou District, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of clinical medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China
| | - Huixia Zhang
- Department of clinical medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China
| | - Jiafan Chen
- Department of clinical medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, China
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Wong ZW, Engel T. More than a drug target: Purinergic signalling as a source for diagnostic tools in epilepsy. Neuropharmacology 2023; 222:109303. [PMID: 36309046 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy is one of the most common and disabling chronic neurological diseases affecting people of all ages. Major challenges of epilepsy management include the persistently high percentage of drug-refractoriness among patients, the absence of disease-modifying treatments, and its diagnosis and prognosis. To date, long-term video-electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings remain the gold standard for an epilepsy diagnosis. However, this is very costly, has low throughput, and in some instances has very limited availability. Therefore, much effort is put into the search for non-invasive diagnostic tests. Purinergic signalling, via extracellularly released adenosine triphosphate (ATP), is gaining increasing traction as a therapeutic strategy for epilepsy treatment which is supported by evidence from both experimental models and patients. This includes in particular the ionotropic P2X7 receptor. Besides that, other components from the ATPergic signalling cascade such as the metabotropic P2Y receptors (e.g., P2Y1 receptor) and ATP-release channels (e.g., pannexin-1), have also been shown to contribute to seizures and epilepsy. In addition to the therapeutic potential of purinergic signalling, emerging evidence has also shown its potential as a diagnostic tool. Following seizures and epilepsy, the concentration of purines in the blood and the expression of different compounds of the purinergic signalling cascade are significantly altered. Herein, this review will provide a detailed discussion of recent findings on the diagnostic potential of purinergic signalling for epilepsy management and the prospect of translating it for clinical application. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'Purinergic Signaling: 50 years'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wei Wong
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Tobias Engel
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland; FutureNeuro, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland.
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Steriade C, French J. Tackling the Unmet Therapeutic Needs in Nonsurgical Treatments for Epilepsy. JAMA Neurol 2022; 79:1223-1224. [PMID: 36066899 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.2635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
This Viewpoint discusses unmet therapeutic needs among patients with epilepsy and evaluates the trajectory of treatment development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claude Steriade
- New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University, New York
| | - Jacqueline French
- New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University, New York
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Engel T, Brennan GP, Soreq H. Editorial: The molecular mechanisms of epilepsy and potential therapeutics. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1064121. [PMID: 36483570 PMCID: PMC9724149 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1064121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Engel
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
- FutureNeuro, SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gary P. Brennan
- FutureNeuro, SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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The Influence of Neurotrophic Factors BDNF and GDNF Overexpression on the Functional State of Mice and Their Adaptation to Audiogenic Seizures. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12081039. [PMID: 36009102 PMCID: PMC9405786 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12081039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The high prevalence of diagnosed cases of severe neurological disorders, a significant proportion of which are epilepsy, contributes to a high level of mortality and disability in the population. Neurotrophic factors BDNF and GNDF are considered promising agents aimed at increasing the central nervous system’s adaptive potential for the development of the epileptiform activity. Despite the pronounced neuroprotective and anticonvulsant potential, an appropriate way to stimulate these endogenous signaling molecules with minimal risk of side effects remains an open question. Herein, we assessed the safety of gene therapy using original adeno-associated viral constructs carrying the genes of neurotrophic factors BDNF and GDNF in the early postnatal period of development of experimental animals. The intraventricular injection of AAV-Syn-BDNF-eGFP and AAV-Syn-GDNF-eGFP viral constructs into newborn mice was found to provide persistent overexpression of target genes in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex in vivo for four weeks after injection. The application of viral constructs has a multidirectional effect on the weight and body length characteristics of mice in the early postnatal period; however, it ensures the animals’ resistance to the development of seizure activity under audiogenic stimulation in the late postnatal period and preserves basic behavioral reactions, emotional status, as well as the mnestic and cognitive abilities of mice after simulated stress. Our results demonstrated the safety of using the AAV-Syn-BDNF-eGFP and AAV-Syn-GDNF-eGFP viral constructs in vivo, which indicates the expediency of further testing the constructs as therapeutic anticonvulsants.
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Abstract
Drug-resistant epilepsy is associated with poor health outcomes and increased economic burden. In the last three decades, various new antiseizure medications have been developed, but the proportion of people with drug-resistant epilepsy remains relatively unchanged. Developing strategies to address drug-resistant epilepsy is essential. Here, we define drug-resistant epilepsy and emphasize its relationship to the conceptualization of epilepsy as a symptom complex, delineate clinical risk factors, and characterize mechanisms based on current knowledge. We address the importance of ruling out pseudoresistance and consider the impact of nonadherence on determining whether an individual has drug-resistant epilepsy. We then review the principles of epilepsy drug therapy and briefly touch upon newly approved and experimental antiseizure medications.
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