Inhibitory Brain Receptor may Lead to New Therapies for Childhood Epilepsy

The emergence of a novel inhibitory brain receptor called alpha four beta delta might be the mechanism for the remission of epilepsy in adolescence.

In a mouse model of epilepsy, the emergence of a novel inhibitory brain receptor called alpha four beta delta, reduces seizure-like activity at the onset of puberty, says a new research led by SUNY Downstate Medical Center.

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. During a seizure, a person experiences abnormal behavior, or sometimes loss of consciousness. More than half of children with epilepsy outgrow their seizures, yet the mechanism underlying this remission is unknown.

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‘Administration of drugs that selectively enhance inhibition mediated by the brain receptor α4βδ further decreased seizure-like activity in a mouse model. ’

Sheryl Smith, PhD, professor of physiology and pharmacology at SUNY Downstate, explained, "Seizure-like discharges were three to four-fold greater before puberty and in pubertal mice that lack expression of this receptor. Administration of drugs that selectively enhance inhibition mediated by this receptor further decreased seizure-like activity in this model."

“These findings suggest a mechanism for the remission of epilepsy in adolescence and also suggest potential new therapies for childhood epilepsy."

The report, "Pubertal Expression of α4βδ GABAA Receptors Reduces Seizure-Like Discharges in CA1 Hippocampus," is published in Scientific Reports.

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Source-Medindia

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