By Duke Medicine News and Communications DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke Medicine researchers have identified a receptor in the nervous system that may be key to preventing epilepsy following a prolonged period of seizures. Their findings from studies in mice, published online in the journal Neuron on June 20, 2013, provide a molecular target for developing drugs to prevent the onset of epilepsy, not just manage the disease's symptoms. "Unfortunately, there are no preventive therapies for any common disorder of the human nervous system Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, epilepsy with the exception of blood pressure-lowering drugs to reduce the likelihood of stroke," said study author James O. McNamara, M.D., professor of neurobiology at Duke Medicine. Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder marked by recurring seizures. Temporal lobe epilepsy where seizures occur in the region of the brain where memories are stored and language, emotions and senses are processed is the most common form, and can be devastating. Because afflicted individuals have seizures that impair their awareness and may have associated behavioral problems, they may have difficulty with everyday activities, including holding a job or obtaining a driver's license. Conventional therapies to treat epilepsy address the disease's symptoms by trying to reduce the … Continue reading →

June 20, 2013 Duke Medicine researchers have identified a receptor in the nervous system that may be key to preventing epilepsy following a prolonged period of seizures. Their findings from studies in mice, published online in the journal Neuron on June 20, 2013, provide a molecular target for developing drugs to prevent the onset of epilepsy, not just manage the disease's symptoms. "Unfortunately, there are no preventive therapies for any common disorder of the human nervous system -- Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, epilepsy -- with the exception of blood pressure-lowering drugs to reduce the likelihood of stroke," said study author James O. McNamara, M.D., professor of neurobiology at Duke Medicine. Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder marked by recurring seizures. Temporal lobe epilepsy -- where seizures occur in the region of the brain where memories are stored and language, emotions and senses are processed -- is the most common form, and can be devastating. Because afflicted individuals have seizures that impair their awareness and may have associated behavioral problems, they may have difficulty with everyday activities, including holding a job or obtaining a driver's license. Conventional therapies to treat epilepsy address the disease's symptoms by trying to reduce the likelihood of … Continue reading →

Dr. James McNamara led a team of Duke University researchers on an epilepsy study. JAMES MCNAMARA DURHAM Duke University scientists have developed a way to prevent epilepsy in mice, a promising step in the quest to find a preventative treatment for the disease in humans. The researchers used a well-known early warning sign of the neurological disease to focus their treatment, said Dr. James McNamara, Professor of Neuroscience in the Duke School of Medicine. An estimated 40 percent of young children who have a single prolonged seizure will eventually develop epilepsy later in life, and for more than two decades researchers have tried to figure out why, McNamara said. How does a fleeting experience lead to a lifelong change in brain function? he said. McNamaras group focused on the activity of a protein receptor found on the surface of neurons, the building blocks of the nervous system. When these receptors receive a certain protein signal, the neurons increase their excitability and eventually a seizure can happen. In the research published online Thursday in the journal Neuron, McNamaras group blocked the receptors activity for a short period of time immediately after the initial prolonged seizure. With just two weeks of treatment, … Continue reading →

Public release date: 20-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press Temporal lobe epilepsy, the most common form of epilepsy, is characterized by recurrent seizures throughout life and often behavioral abnormalities, with devastating impacts on patients and their families. Unfortunately, the condition is often not responsive to anticonvulsants. Now scientists report online June 20 in the Cell Press journal Neuron that targeting a particular signaling pathway in mice can prevent the development of temporal lobe epilepsy with just two weeks of treatment, offering hope that researchers will be able to develop effective drugs to mitigate recurrent seizures and the development of epilepsy. Many patients with temporal lobe epilepsy experience an initial episode of prolonged seizures, known as status epilepticus, which is often followed by a period of seizure-free recovery before individuals develop recurring seizures. Research in animals suggests that the prolonged seizures in status epilepticus cause or contribute to the development of epilepsy. "An important goal of this field has been to identify the molecular mechanism by which status epilepticus transforms a brain from normal to epileptic," says Dr. James McNamara, of the Duke University Medical Center in Durham. "Understanding that mechanism in … Continue reading →

June 20, 2013 Temporal lobe epilepsy, the most common form of epilepsy, is characterized by recurrent seizures throughout life and often behavioral abnormalities, with devastating impacts on patients and their families. Unfortunately, the condition is often not responsive to anticonvulsants. Now scientists report online June 20 in the Cell Press journal Neuron that targeting a particular signaling pathway in mice can prevent the development of temporal lobe epilepsy with just two weeks of treatment, offering hope that researchers will be able to develop effective drugs to mitigate recurrent seizures and the development of epilepsy. Many patients with temporal lobe epilepsy experience an initial episode of prolonged seizures, known as status epilepticus, which is often followed by a period of seizure-free recovery before individuals develop recurring seizures. Research in animals suggests that the prolonged seizures in status epilepticus cause or contribute to the development of epilepsy. "An important goal of this field has been to identify the molecular mechanism by which status epilepticus transforms a brain from normal to epileptic," says Dr. James McNamara, of the Duke University Medical Center in Durham. "Understanding that mechanism in molecular terms would provide a target with which one could intervene pharmacologically, perhaps to prevent … Continue reading →

June 20, 2013 Brett Smith for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online A group of American researchers has found evidence of gluten antibodies in children with autism, suggesting a potential link between the body immune system and the developmental disorder. The research team also found a connection between elevated antibody levels and gastrointestinal symptoms among affected children. They did not make a connection between elevated antibody levels and celiac disease, according to their report in the journal PLOS ONE. Gluten is a group of more than 70 proteins found in wheat and other grains. It consists of two protein classes: gliadins and glutenins.The proteins are known to cause pain and discomfort in people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the small intestine. The study, led by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), looked at blood samples and medical records of 140 children, including 37 children that were diagnosed with autism. Only children who were diagnosed with autism according to the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule or the Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised were included in the study. Researchers tested the blood samples for antibodies to tissue transglutaminase, a responsive and explicit marker of celiac disease, along with antibodies to gliadin. The patients … Continue reading →

The death of a severely autistic Chicago boy recently made headlines and shined a spotlight on the growing autism epidemic in the United States. The latest estimates say that one out of every 50 children has Autism. The local group Austin Trust USA works to help those affected by autism including the 14-year-old boy Alex Spourdalakis from Chicago. Spourdalakis was stabbed and his mother and caregiver have been charged with his murder. When Autism Trust Usa founder Polly Toomey got a call to help Spourdalakis she found him chained to the bed. "He was being restrained and he couldn't go to the loo, and the person with key with the restraints and the person with the key would go off," Toomey said. "He was treated kinda like an animal really." As a mother of a child with autism, Toomey said she knew if she could stop the stomach pain and get Spourdalakis to a gastroenterologist, she believed it could help him. "He was in a lot of pain," Toomey said. "You couldn't see he was in a lot of pain. He was naked all the time. He can't talk. He can't point to his pain. They have absolutely no idea … Continue reading →

Melatonin, the neurohormone which regulates the circadian rhythm or sleeping cycle, had sufficient evidence on improving sleep disturbances a symptom which affects about 80 per cent of children with ASD. A REVIEW of the evidence base that supports complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) options has singled out the use of the sleep hormone melatonin as the best treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Telethon Institute for Child Health Research study investigated the current evidence-base on the safety and efficacy of a wide range of CAM options used by families seeking treatment for children with ASD. There is substantial evidence that intensive educational and behavioural programs are successful at improving the core symptoms (social and behavioural difficulties) of ASD. The non-core symptoms widely acknowledged in ASD include sleep and gastrointestinal disorders, associated with significant family and child distress, and CAM treatments claim to address these. Telethon Institute researcher and Winthrop Professor Andrew Whitehouse says there is a huge cost and time burden associated with intensive educational and behavioural programs. We are interested in finding evidence for interventions that are time and cost effective, to assist in relieving the exhausting burden from families, W/Prof Whitehouse says. The review investigated … Continue reading →

Elevated Gluten Antibodies Found in Children with Autism, but No Link to Celiac Disease Newswise NEW YORK, NY (June 20, 2013)Researchers have found elevated antibodies to gluten proteins of wheat in children with autism in comparison to those without autism. The results also indicated an association between the elevated antibodies and the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms in the affected children. They did not find any connection, however, between the elevated antibodies and celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder known to be triggered by gluten. The results were e-published in the journal PLOS ONE. Gluten, a group of more than 70 proteins in wheat and related grains, consists of gliadins and glutenins. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that negatively affects communication and social interaction. Although the mechanisms that cause autism are poorly understood, there is mounting evidence that the immune system plays a role in a subset of patients. In addition, autistic children commonly have gastrointestinal symptoms. In recent years, diets that exclude gluten have become increasingly popular in the autism community. The effectiveness of such diets, however, has not been confirmed in controlled and blinded studies. The study, headed by Armin Alaedini, PhD, assistant professor of medical sciences (in the Department … Continue reading →