Bearing variant alleles at uridine glucuronosyltransferase polymorphisms UGT2B7 -161C > T (rs7668258) or UGT1A4*3 c.142 T > G (rs2011425) has no relevant consequences for lamotrigine troughs in adults with epilepsy.

Purpose: To estimate whether epilepsy patients with variant UGT2B7 -161C > T (rs7668258) or UGT1A4*3 c.142 T > G (rs2011425) alleles differ from their wild-type (wt) peers in exposure to lamotrigine.

Methods: Consecutive adults on lamotrigine monotherapy or lamotrigine + valproate co-treatment undergoing routine therapeutic drug monitoring, otherwise generally healthy and free of interacting drugs, were genotyped for UGT2B7 -161C > T and UGT1A4*3 c.

QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY - SINGLE CENTRE EXPERIENCE.

A prospective study was carried out at the Zagreb University Hospital Centre to evaluate the relationship between epilepsy, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and quality of life (QoL) in patients with epilepsy (PE), and its association with depressive symptoms and sexual dysfunction (SD). QoL was assessed by use of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 Inventory (QOLIE-31), SD by the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), and depressive symptoms by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D17). The study included 108 PE (women 63% and men 37% men), mean age 39.

Genetics of Pediatric Epilepsy: Next-Generation Sequencing in Clinical Practice.

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders with diverse phenotypic characteristics and high genetic heterogeneity. Epilepsy often occurs in childhood, so timely diagnosis and adequate therapy are crucial for preserving quality of life and unhindered development of a child. Next-generation-sequencing (NGS)-based tools have shown potential in increasing diagnostic yield.

Reorganization of the Brain Extracellular Matrix in Hippocampal Sclerosis.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important regulator of excitability and synaptic plasticity, especially in its highly condensed form, the perineuronal nets (PNN). In patients with drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), hippocampal sclerosis type 1 (HS1) is the most common histopathological finding. This study aimed to evaluate the ECM profile of HS1 in surgically treated drug-resistant patients with MTLE in correlation to clinical findings.

Predictors of Quality of Life in Patients with Drug Resistant Epilepsy after Neurosurgical Treatment: One-Year Follow-Up.

Background: Invasive neurosurgical treatment or minimally invasive neurosurgical treatment are methods of choice for the treatment of patients with drug resistant epilepsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of neurosurgical treatment and the quality of life of patients with drug resistant epilepsy and to determine what are the potential predictors of quality of life of patients with drug resistant epilepsy one year after neurosurgical treatment.

Subjects And Methods: The research was performed at the Referral Centre for Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb from February 2015 to February 2020 with Ethics commitee approval.

Sexual Dysfunction in Patients with Epilepsy.

Background: Patients with epilepsy commonly report sexual dysfunction (SD) and reproductive difficulties. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between epilepsy, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and SD, and its association with the quality of life and depressive symptoms.

Subjects And Methods: This was a prospective study carried out in a tertiary healthcare centre.

Depression and Quality of Life in Patients with Epilepsy - Single Centre Experience.

Background: Patients with epilepsy commonly report depressive symptoms. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between epilepsy, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and depression. We also wanted to evaluate possible association between depressive symptofigms in patients with epilepsy with the quality of life (QoL).

Brain MRI post-processing with MAP07 in the preoperative evaluation of patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy - Croatian single centre experience.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the role of brain MRI post-processing method MAP07 (Morphometric Analysis Program) in detecting epileptogenic brain lesions in patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy (PE). MAP07 is a sophisticated diagnostic program that offers several morphometric maps and facilitates the detection and localization of hippocampal sclerosis (HS), focal cortical dysplasias (FCD), and other types of cortical malformations, which could be undetected by conventional visual MRI analysis (CVA).

Methods: 120 patients aged > 16 years with PE have been recruited.

Impact of Invasive EEG Monitoring and Resective Neurosurgical Treatment on the Quality of Life in Patients with Drug Resistant Epilepsy - Preliminary Results.

Background: Neurosurgical treatment is one of important way to cure drug resistant epilepsy. After invasive EEG monitoring and the invasive neurosurgical treatment (resective surgery) there are possible complications (intracranial haemorrhage, cortical lesions and infections), however there are possible neuropsyhologic outcomes such as memory outcomes, language outcomes and psychiatric outcomes. The quality of life in epilepsy (QOLIE-31) scale is a self-completed questionnaire which contains seven subscales which address the following aspects: emotional well-being, social functioning, energy/fatigue, cognitive functioning, seizure worry, medication effects and overall quality of life.

Interaction between ABCG2 421C>A polymorphism and valproate in their effects on steady-state disposition of lamotrigine in adults with epilepsy.

Aims: To investigate the impact of glucuronidation enzyme (UGT1A4*3 142T>G, UGT1A4*2 70C>A, UGT2B7 -161C>T) and transporter (MDR1/ABCB1 1236C>T, ABCG2 421C>A) polymorphisms on steady-state disposition of lamotrigine and on the lamotrigine-valproate interaction.

Methods: Adults with epilepsy on lamotrigine monotherapy (n = 131) or lamotrigine + valproate treatment (n = 74) were genotyped and steady-state lamotrigine and valproate morning troughs were determined as a part of routine therapeutic drug monitoring.

Results: No effect of UGT and MDR1/ABCB1 polymorphisms was observed.

The effect of delayed anti-NMDAR encephalitis recognition on disease outcome.

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is an acute form of brain inflammation that is potentially lethal but has a high probability for recovery with treatment. Although the clinical picture of anti-NMDAR encephalitis is usually recognizable due to its relatively well-known symptoms, the disorder can sometimes present itself in an unpredictable and atypical way. In this case report, we wish to present the influence of different delay times prior to the establishment of diagnosis.

Many Faces of Déjà Vu: a Narrative Review.

French expression standing for the phrase "already seen" is a déjà vu. It is thought that as much as 97% of the population have experienced déjà vu at least once in their lifetime and 67% experience it regularly. The explanations of this phenomenon in novels and poems include reincarnation, dreams, organic factors, and unconscious memories.

Effect of antiepileptic drug comedication on lamotrigine concentrations.

Aim: To estimate the effect size of concomitant antiepileptic therapy on the concentrations of lamotrigine, a drug often prescribed in combination with other antiepileptic drugs (AED), which can act as enzyme inducers or inhibitors.

Methods: A total of 304 patients with epilepsy, aged 18-70 years, were divided into a lamotrigine monotherapy group and groups receiving lamotrigine with AEDs that act as enzyme inducers, enzyme inhibitors, or both. We compared lamotrigine monotherapy serum concentrations with those where lamotrigine was administered with a metabolic inhibitor valproate, metabolic inducers carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, or topiramate, and both an inducer and an inhibitor.