New Treatments for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy that Target Presynaptic Transmitter Release

Abstract

We developed electrophysiological, two-photon laser scanning microscopic imaging and pharmacological tools to investigate the effects of levetiracetam, topiramate and carbamazepine on excitatory (glutamatergic) synaptic transmission and vesicular transmitter release at multiple synapses in in-vitro brain slices from control and pilocarpine-treated epileptic rates and mice. We discovered that levetiracetam was more effective in reducing the frequency of excitatory synaptic transmission onto dentate granule cells in slices from chronically epileptic rates, while no significant effect was detected in the amplitude of mEPSCs, indicating a presynaptic site of action without postsynaptic effects of AMPA glutamate receptors.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA580461

Entities

People

  • Patric K. Stanton

Organizations

  • New York Medical College

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Brain
  • Brain Injuries
  • Cell Physiological Processes
  • Central Nervous System
  • Confocal Microscopy
  • Department Of Defense
  • Epilepsy
  • Neurons
  • Neurosciences
  • Seizures
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Synapses

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Neuroscience

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy