Prevention is better than cure. This adage can be applied to research against seizures.epilepsy : neuroscience researchers at the University of Louisiana (United States) have developed neuroprotective compounds that would reduce the frequency of seizures and reduce their effects on the brain. A study carried out on mice and published in Scientific Reports, a newspaper column Nature.
No seizures within 100 days of treatment
Researchers named these protective compounds “LAU” and patented them. In their study, they explain that LAU compounds block inflammatory signals that usually occur during epileptic seizures and that disrupt the communication between neurons. These brain cells, and more precisely their extensions (called dendritic spines) are therefore conserved and their connectivity is maintained, which limits the appearance of new crises. “Preservation of dendritic spines and subsequent seizure avoidance have been observed for up to 100 days after treatment, suggesting that the process of developing epilepsy has been arrested.“welcomes Dr. Nicolas Bazan, lead author of the study, on the website EurekAlert.
500,000 epileptics in France
Epilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by seizures repeatedly, which can lead to unconsciousness. The most severe forms of epilepsy have serious consequences on the daily lives of patients, such as social stigmatization, the ban on driving, working or even practicing sport. In France, around 500,000 people have epilepsy and currently available treatmentsdo not always calm or space their attacks.
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