High homocysteine levels as potential indicators of subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord.

Homocysteine (Hcy) is widely recognized as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, our research has uncovered a novel perspective, suggesting that elevated levels of Hcy could serve as an indicator for neurological diseases. This article presents a unique case of Subacute Combined Degeneration of the spinal cord(SCD), characterized by high homocysteine levels, yet normal vitamin B and imaging results.

Diazepam Monotherapy or Diazepam-Ketamine Dual Therapy at Different Time Points Terminates Seizures and Reduces Mortality in a Status Epilepticus Animal Model.

BACKGROUND Being refractory to drugs remains an urgent treatment problem in status epilepticus (SE). The fact that γ-aminobutyric acid A receptors (GABAARs) become internalized and inactive, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) become externalized and active during SE may explain the refractoriness to benzodiazepine. However, the real-time dynamic efficacy of antiepileptic drugs remains unclear.

Aloperine protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury via activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in rats.

Cerebral ischemia is among the leading causes of death and long-term disability worldwide. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of aloperine (ALO) on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats and elucidate the possible underlying mechanisms. Therefore, a rat model of reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established to induce cerebral I/R injury.

Serum Exosomal Proteins F9 and TSP-1 as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy.

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases in the world, with a high incidence, a high risk of sudden unexplained death, and diagnostic challenges. Exosomes are nanosized extracellular vesicles that are released into physical environments and carry a variety of biological information. Moreover, exosomes can also be synthesized and released from brain cells, passing through the blood-brain barrier, and can be detected in peripheral blood or cerebrospinal fluid.

AJAP1 affects behavioral changes and GABAR1 level in epileptic mice.

Adherens junction-associated protein-1 (AJAP1), also called SHREW1, was first discovered as a novel component of adherens junctions in 2004. In later studies, AJAP1 was found to suppress invasion and predict recurrence of some tumors. Apart from its function as a putative tumor suppressor, AJAP1 is still poorly understood.

Protrudin modulates seizure activity through GABA receptor regulation.

Epilepsy is a serious neurological disease characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. The exact etiology of epilepsy is not fully understood. Protrudin is a neural membrane protein and is found to be mutated in hereditary spastic paraplegia that characterized by symptoms like seizures.

TMEM25 modulates neuronal excitability and NMDA receptor subunit NR2B degradation.

The expression of the transmembrane protein 25 gene (Tmem25) is strongly influenced by glutamate ionotropic receptor kainate type subunit 4, and its function remains unknown. Here, we showed that TMEM25 was primarily localized to late endosomes in neurons. Electrophysiological experiments suggested that the effects of TMEM25 on neuronal excitability were likely mediated by N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors.

A novel LGI1 missense mutation causes dysfunction in cortical neuronal migration and seizures.

Background: To explore the causative genes and pathogenesis of autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features in a large Chinese family that includes 7 patients over four generations.

Methods: We used targeted exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing to validate the mutation. Zebrafish were used to explore the epileptic behavior caused by the mutation.

Transgenic overexpression of furin increases epileptic susceptibility.

The proprotein convertase Furin plays crucial roles in the pathology of many diseases. However, the specific role of furin in epilepsy remains unclear. In our study, furin protein was increased in the temporal neocortex of epileptic patients and in the hippocampus and cortex of epileptic mice.

Progress in the molecular mechanisms of genetic epilepsies using patient-induced pluripotent stem cells.

Research findings on the molecular mechanisms of epilepsy almost always originate from animal experiments, and the development of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology allows the use of human cells with genetic defects for studying the molecular mechanisms of genetic epilepsy (GE) for the first time. With iPSC technology, terminally differentiated cells collected from GE patients with specific genetic etiologies can be differentiated into many relevant cell subtypes that carry all of the GE patient's genetic information. iPSCs have opened up a new research field involving the pathogenesis of GE.

Lithium affects rat hippocampal electrophysiology and epileptic seizures in a dose dependent manner.

Lithium, a classic mood stabilizer, prevents apoptosis-dependent cellular death and has garnered considerable interest as a neuroprotective agent that is efficacious in the treatment of many neurological diseases. However, the effects of lithium in epilepsy remain controversial. We found that different doses of lithium affect epileptic seizure activity and bidirectionally modulate the susceptibility to and severity of seizures induced by pilocarpine in rats.

ZDHHC8 critically regulates seizure susceptibility in epilepsy.

Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent and drug-refractory neurological disorders. Zinc finger DHHC-type containing 8 (ZDHHC8) is a putative palmitoyltransferase that is highly expressed in the brain. However, the impact of ZDHHC8 on seizures remains unclear.

Expression levels of microRNA-199 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha in brain tissue of patients with intractable epilepsy.

Objectives: During the last decade, experimental evidence has demonstrated an important role of hypoxia, which leads to neuronal cell death and angiogenesis, in the mechanisms of seizure precipitation and recurrence. MicroRNA-199 targets hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α), which has recently been implicated in the pathophysiology of the hypoxic state and brain injury. However, little is known about the roles of MicroRNA-199 and HIF-1α in the human epileptogenic process.