Credit score: Pixabay/CC0 Public Area
Epilepsy is primarily handled symptomatically—that’s, the vast majority of the obtainable medicines purpose to suppress seizures with out influencing the underlying causes of the illness. A analysis group from the Medical College of Vienna has now recognized a molecular mechanism which will play a job within the growth of seizures.
These findings pave the way in which for analysis into and growth of causal therapies that might transcend the purely anti-seizure impact. The outcomes have been revealed in The Journal of Neuroscience.
The analysis group led by Helmut Kubista and Matej Hotka (Middle for Physiology and Pharmacology, Division of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, MedUni Vienna) centered on a neuronal exercise sample that grew to become often known as paroxysmal depolarization shifts (PDS). These are a type of elevated electrical exercise in nerve cells that may happen in the midst of mind injury.
Till now, researchers regarded PDS as a precursor of epileptic seizures, and a few research even recommended that they could characterize parts of epileptic seizures. It has solely lately been hypothesized that PDS may very well play a job within the growth of the illness itself. The MedUni Vienna scientists haven’t solely been in a position to present proof for this suggestion, they’ve additionally revealed a possible mode of motion.
To reach at their lately revealed findings, the researchers examined the results of PDS on nerve cells in a specifically developed cell tradition mannequin. “Our observations revealed that PDS temporarily lead to a completely altered energy metabolism in the neurons of a specific brain region, the hippocampus,” reviews Kubista. This transformation initially prompts a protecting mechanism towards additional injury, however in the long run it paves the way in which for seizure-like electrical discharges.
65 million folks affected worldwide
Epilepsy is a power neurological dysfunction that impacts round 65 million folks worldwide. The related seizures are attributed to a disruption of the excitation management in mind cells. Each the congenital and the acquired type of epilepsy (normally because of mind injury) are handled primarily with medicines that purpose to suppress epileptic seizures.
Because of the earlier gaps in our information concerning the growth of epilepsy, methods to stop the event of the illness are missing. The findings which have now been obtained have opened up a brand new method to analysis and growth of causal remedy choices.
“Our study identifies PDS as a possible target for intervention in the mechanisms of epilepsy and epileptic seizures. This could be relevant for the prevention of those forms of epilepsy that can arise from brain damage such as stroke, cerebral hemorrhage or craniocerebral trauma,” says Kubista, waiting for additional research which can be meant to proceed the analysis path taken.
Extra info:
Helmut Kubista et al, Mitochondrial Glutamine Metabolism Drives Epileptogenesis in Major Hippocampal Neurons, The Journal of Neuroscience (2025). DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0110-25.2025
Supplied by
Medical College of Vienna
Quotation:
Molecular mechanism might pave manner for causal therapies that transcend treating epilepsy signs (2025, June 4)
retrieved 4 June 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-06-molecular-mechanism-pave-causal-therapies.html
This doc is topic to copyright. Aside from any honest dealing for the aim of personal research or analysis, no
half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is offered for info functions solely.
