(R)-[11C]PK11195 brain uptake as a biomarker of inflammation and antiepileptic drug resistance: evaluation in a rat epilepsy model.

Neuroinflammation has been suggested as a key determinant of the intrinsic severity of epilepsy. Glial cell activation and associated inflammatory signaling can influence seizure thresholds as well as the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of antiepileptic drugs. Based on these data, we hypothesized that molecular imaging of microglia activation might serve as a tool to predict drug refractoriness of epilepsy.

The effect of stress induction on working memory in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

Although psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are considered a stress-induced paroxysmal disintegration of cognitive functions, it remains unknown whether stress indeed impairs cognitive integrative functions, such as working memory (WM), in patients with PNES. An N-back task with emotional distracters (angry, happy, and neutral faces) was administered at baseline and after stress induction (Cold Pressor Test) to 19 patients with PNES and 20 matched healthy controls. At baseline, patients displayed increased WM interference for the facial distracters.