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 Reportsa newspaper column Nature.
No epileptic seizures within 100 days of treatment
The researchers named these protective compounds “LAU” and patented them. In their study, they explain that LAU compounds block the inflammatory signals that usually occur during epileptic seizures and disrupt the communication between neurons. These brain cells, and more precisely their extensions (called dendritic spines) are therefore preserved and their connectivity is maintained, which limits the appearance of new crises. “Preservation of dendritic spines and consequent seizure avoidance were observed up to 100 days after treatment, suggesting that the process of epilepsy development has been arrested.” welcomes Doctor Nicolas Bazan, main author of the study, on the site EurekAlert.
500,000 epileptics in France
Epilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by seizures repeatedly, which can lead to loss of consciousness. 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 practicing a sport. In France, approximately 500,000 people are epileptic and the currently available treatmentsdo not always make it possible to calm or space out their crises.
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