Scientists have made a new discovery regarding the cells that are responsible for causing epileptic seizures .
Scientists have made a new discovery regarding the cells that are responsible for causing epileptic seizures .
Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine have identified glutamate receptor cells in the thalamus area of the brain can slow the release of glutamate when there is brain action that’s associated with seizures. Researchers have found that treatment of epilepsy that will affect the protective glutamate receptors in increasing their potential to check the neural pathway that’s responsible for seizures can benefit the epilepsy patients without having any side effect on the normal functions of the brain.Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which sets of cells in brain behave in an abnormal fashion, sending mixed signals to the person suffering from the disease. The symptoms of the condition may be having inappropriate sensations and emotions, behaving inappropriately, or muscle spasms and loss of consciousness.
Epileptic seizures are often related to abnormal neural changes happening in the cerebral cortex that sends wrong neural information to thalamus leading to the symptoms of the seizures. The new study reveals the target that can be treated to control the expression of the epileptic seizures, especially in children.
Reference: Journal of Neurophysiology, July 2005
