Tiagabine-Induced Absence Status in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Tiagabine-Induced Absence Status in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Elsevier - Publisher Connector Seizure 1999; 8: 314–317 Article No. seiz.1999.0303, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on CASE REPORT Tiagabine-induced absence status in idiopathic generalized epilepsy S. KNAKE, H. M. HAMER, U. SCHOMBURG, W. H. OERTEL & F. ROSENOW Philipps-University, Neurologische Klinik, Marburg, Germany Correspondence to: Dr S. Knake, Neurologische Klinik, Philipps-University, Marburg, Rudolf-Bultmann-Straße 8, 35039 Marburg, Germany Several medications such as baclofen, amitriptyline and even antiepileptic drugs such as carbamazepine or vigabatrin are known to induce absence status epilepticus in patients with generalized epilepsies. Tiagabine (TGB) is effective in patients with focal epilepsies. However, TGB has also been reported to induce non-convulsive status epilepticus in several patients with focal epilepsies and in one patient with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. In animal models of generalized epilepsy, TGB induces absence status with 3–5 Hz spike-wave complexes. We describe a 32-year-old patient with absence epilepsy and primary generalized tonic–clonic seizures since 11 years of age, who developed her first absence status epilepticus while treated with 45 mg of TGB daily. Administration of lorazepam and immediate reduction in TGB dosage was followed by complete clinical and electroencephalographic remission. This case demonstrates that TGB can induce typical absence status epilepticus in a patient with primary generalized epilepsy. Key words: absence status; status epilepticus; generalized epilepsy; seizure induction; tiagabine. INTRODUCTION wave discharges increased in rats when treated with TGB12–14. Absence status epilepticus is defined as a generalized In addition, TGB was also reported to induce non- absence seizure lasting for more than half an hour in convulsive status epilepticus in several patients with the context of a primary generalized epilepsy1. Dur- partial epilepsy15, 16 and in one patient with juvenile ing the time of mental clouding of differing degree, myoclonic epilepsy6. There have been no detailed re- bilateral synchronous spike-wave discharges can be ports of this effect of TGB in patients with absence recorded by EEG. Of all the forms of non-convulsive epilepsy. status epilepticus, generalized absence status is the We describe a 32-year-old patient with absence most commonly encountered2. The incidence of ab- epilepsy and generalized tonic–clonic seizures since sence status in patients with absence epilepsy is esti- the age of 11 years, in whom TGB induced her first mated to be between 2 and 10%3. absence status. Several antiepileptic drugs have been reported to induce absence status in patients and animal models. Tiagabine (TGB) inhibits the reuptake of CASE REPORT γ -aminobutyric acid (GABA) into the presynaptic terminals and glia cells, thereby making more GABA A 32-year-old woman was admitted with absence sta- available at the synapses4. It increases the extracellular tus epilepticus lasting for more than 6 hours. concentration of GABA after oral administration5, 6. In At the age of 11 years, she began having absences clinical trials TGB had a dose-related anticonvulsant and generalized tonic–clonic seizures. The diagno- effect in patients with focal epilepsies7–11. However, sis of absence epilepsy was supported by generalized in animal models the frequency of interictal spike- spike-wave complexes during hyperventilation and a ∗ E-mail: [email protected] positive family history for epilepsy. Seizures were 1059–1311/99/050314 + 04 $12.00/0 c 1999 BEA Trading Ltd Tiagabine-induced absence status in idiopathic generalized epilepsy 315 Fp1-A1 F7-A1 T3-A1 T5-A1 Fp2-A2 F8-A2 T4-A2 T6-A2 F3-A1 C3-A1 P3-A1 O1-A1 F4-A2 C4-A2 P4-A2 O2-A2 Fz-A2 Pz-A2 Resp EKG 1 s 200 V Fig. 1: Thirty-two-year-old patient with absence status epilepticus lasting for more than 6 hours. This figure shows the EEG on admission. refractory to valproate, primidone, lamotrigine, and responded slowly but adequately to other questions. clonazepam as monotherapy and in several combina- Within the previous 5 days before admission, she had tions. Initially, she had two to three absences per week three similar episodes with mental clouding lasting and one generalized tonic–clonic seizure every two more than 4 hours each. She had never experienced months. She has not experienced any absence seizures absences lasting for more than a minute before treat- and the frequency of generalized tonic–clonic seizures ment with TGB. declined to two per year since she was started on anti- The EEG on admission revealed absence status convulsants. epilepticus (Fig. 1) with generalized spike-wave com- Lamotrigine was discontinued due to nausea and plexes. Initially, she was given 600 mg of sodium- TGB was added to sodium valproate by her neurolo- valproate intravenously to booster the levels, however, gist. The dosage of valproate remained unchanged. without any effect. After administration of 1 mg lo- Routine EEGs were normal except for short bursts of razepam, the EEG and the clinical picture rapidly nor- generalized spike-wave discharges under hyperventi- malized. lation. Tiagabine was discontinued because a status epilep- In the first 6 months, up to a daily dosage of 30 mg, the patient tolerated the new medication well and was ticus inducing effect was suspected. The EEG re- seizure-free except for one generalized tonic–clonic mained normal thereafter. The patient was discharged seizure shortly after initiation of TGB therapy. There- on 2400 mg of sodium valproate. No further status fore, the dose of TGB was increased to 45 mg/d at the epilepticus occurred on follow-up 6 months later. next follow-up visit. Within days, the patient repeat- edly started to feel dizzy and experienced episodes of ‘lack of memory’. At this time, the EEG revealed in- DISCUSSION termittent generalized slowing and spike-wave com- plexes during 30% of the recording. We report a patient with generalized epilepsy who de- On admission, the patient was treated with 2400 mg veloped EEG deterioration and her first absence sta- valproate and 45 mg TGB. The serum level of val- tus epilepticus while taking TGB. Besides the tempo- proate was 74 mg/l. She was admitted for an episode ral relation and the complete EEG normalization after lasting for more than 6 hours, during which she stared discontinuation of TGB, several additional lines of ev- and reacted slowly. She was unable to do simple cal- idence support that TGB induced the status epilepticus culations (e.g. 3 3) but was fully oriented. She in this patient and suggest a GABA-ergic mechanism. × 316 S. Knake et al. Observations in humans 3. Rothner, A. D. and Morris, H. H. Generalized status epilep- ticus. In Epilepsy. Electroclinical Syndromes,Luders,¨ H. and Lesser, R. P. eds., 1987; pp. 207–222. Berlin, Heidelberg, TGB was reported to induce non-convulsive status Springer-Verlag. epilepticus in several patients with focal epilepsies and 4. Fischer, R. Newer antiepileptic drugs. In The Treatment of in one patient with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy6, 15–17. Epilepsy. Principles and Practice, Wyllie, E. ed., 1993; pp. Other GABA-ergic medications such as baclofen or 923–925. Baltimore, Williams and Wilkins. 18–22 5. Fink-Jensen, A., Suzdak, P. D., Swedbweg, M. D. et al. vigabatrin have been reported to induce absence The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake inhibitor, status epilepticus in humans. tiagabine, increases extracellular brain levels of GABA in awake rats. European Journal of Pharmacology, 1992; 220: 197–201. 6. Walton, N. Y., Gunawan, S. and Treiman, D. Treatment of ex- Animal data perimental status epilepticus with the GABA uptake inhibitor, tiagabine. Epilepsy Research, 1994; 19: 237–244. In several animal models of absence epilepsy (i.e. a se- 7. Chadwick, D., Richens, A., Duncan, J. et al. Tiagabine HCl: lective strain of Wistar rats (WAG/Rij-rats) or genetic safety and efficacy as adjunctive treatment for complex partial seizures. Epilepsia, 1991; 32: 20. absence epilepsy rats of Strasbourg (GAERS)), proab- 8. Rowan, J., Uthman, B., Ahman, P. et al. Safety and efficacy of sence effects of vigabatrin and TGB have been demon- three dose levels of tiagabine HCl versus placebo as adjunctive strated6, 12, 23. After administration, TGB enhanced the treatment for complex partial seizures. Epilepsia, 1994; 35: 54. duration and the number of spike-wave discharges 9. Sachedo, R., Leroy, R., Krauss, G. et al. Safety and efficacy 12 of bid and qid dosing with tiagabine HCl versus placebo as in a dose-related fashion . Furthermore, an unusual adjunctive treatment for partial seizures. Neurology, 1995; 45: second type of spike-wave discharges was recorded A202. during the treatment with TGB. These were consid- 10. Uthman, B. M., Rowan, A. J., Ahman, P. A. and Leppik, I. ered to be forerunners of the genuine spike-wave dis- E. Tiagabine for complex partial seizures: a randomized, add- 13 on, dose-response trial. Archives of Neurology, 1998; 55: 56– charges . At a higher TGB dosage, seven of 10 nor- 62. mal animals developed behavioural hyporeactivity and 11. Leppik, I. E. Tiagabine: the safety landscape. Epilepsia, 1995; simultaneously generalized 3–5 Hz spike-wave dis- 36: S10–S13. charges6. 12. Coenen, A. M. L., Blezer, E. H. M. and Van Luijtelaar, E. L. J. M. Effects of the GABA-uptake inhibitor tiagabine GABA plays an important role in the pathophysi- on electroencephalogram, spike-wave discharge and behaviour ology of absence seizures. The application of other of rats. Epilepsy Research, 1995; 21: 89–94. GABA-ergic drugs such as vigabatrin, an irreversible 13. Coenen, A. M. L., Dinkenburg, W. H. I. M., Inoue, M. et inhibitor of the GABA-transaminase, or baclofen, a al. Genetic models of absence epilepsy, with emphasis on the WAG/Rij strain of rats.
Recommended publications
  • Research in Anxiety Disorders: from the Bench to the Bedside Matthew Garner A,⁎, Hanns Möhler B, Dan J
    NEUPSY-10154; No of Pages 10 ARTICLE IN PRESS European Neuropsychopharmacology (2009) xx, xxx–xxx www.elsevier.com/locate/euroneuro REVIEW ARTICLE Research in anxiety disorders: From the bench to the bedside Matthew Garner a,⁎, Hanns Möhler b, Dan J. Stein c, Thomas Mueggler d, David S. Baldwin a a University of Southampton, UK b University of Zurich, Switzerland c University of Cape Town, South Africa d University and ETH of Zurich, Switzerland Received 13 January 2009; accepted 30 January 2009 KEYWORDS Abstract Anxiety; Treatment; The development of ethologically based behavioural animal models has clarified the anxiolytic Imaging; properties of a range of neurotransmitter and neuropeptide receptor agonists and antagonists, Cognition with several models predicting efficacy in human clinical samples. Neuro-cognitive models of human anxiety and findings from fMRI suggest dysfunction in amygdala-prefrontal circuitry underlies biases in emotion activation and regulation. Cognitive and neural mechanisms involved in emotion processing can be manipulated pharmacologically, and research continues to identify genetic polymorphisms and interactions with environmental risk factors that co-vary with anxiety-related behaviour and neuro-cognitive endophenotypes. This paper describes findings from a range of research strategies in anxiety, discussed at the recent ECNP Targeted Expert Meeting on anxiety disorders and anxiolytic drugs. The efficacy of existing pharmacological treatments for anxiety disorders is discussed, with particular reference to drugs modulating serotonergic, noradrenergic and gabaergic mechanisms, and novel targets including glutamate, CCK, NPY, adenosine and AVP. Clinical and neurobiological predictors of active treatment and placebo response are considered. © 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. Anxiety symptoms are common in the community, and typically persist for many years, and are associated with anxiety disorders are common in primary and secondary significant personal distress, reduced quality of life, medical care settings (King et al., 2008).
    [Show full text]
  • Clinicians Using the Classification Will Identify a Seizure As Focal Or Generalized Onset If There Is About an 80% Confidence Level About the Type of Onset
    GENERALIZED ONSET SEIZURES Generalized onset seizures are not characterized by level of awareness, because awareness is almost always impaired. Generalized tonic-clonic: Immediate loss of Generalized epileptic spasms: Brief seizures with awareness, with stiffening of all limbs (tonic phase), flexion at the trunk and flexion or extension of the followed by sustained rhythmic jerking of limbs and limbs. Video-EEG recording may be required to face (clonic phase). Duration is typically 1 to 3 minutes. determine focal versus generalized onset. The seizure may produce a cry at the start, falling, tongue biting, and incontinence. Generalized typical absence: Sudden onset when activity stops with a brief pause and staring, Generalized clonic: Rhythmical sustained jerking of sometimes with eye fluttering and head nodding or limbs and/or head with no tonic stiffening phase. other automatic behaviors. If it lasts for more than These seizures most often occur in young children. several seconds, awareness and memory are impaired. Recovery is immediate. The EEG during these seizures Generalized tonic: Stiffening of all limbs, without always shows generalized spike-waves. clonic jerking. Generalized atypical absence: Like typical absence Generalized myoclonic: Irregular, unsustained jerking seizures, but may have slower onset and recovery and of limbs, face, eyes, or eyelids. The jerking of more pronounced changes in tone. Atypical absence generalized myoclonus may not always be left-right seizures can be difficult to distinguish from focal synchronous, but it occurs on both sides. impaired awareness seizures, but absence seizures usually recover more quickly and the EEG patterns are Generalized myoclonic-tonic-clonic: This seizure is like different.
    [Show full text]
  • Physiological Roles of Endogenous Neurosteroids at Α2 Subunit-Containing GABAA Receptors
    Physiological roles of endogenous neurosteroids at α2 subunit-containing GABAA receptors Elizabeth Jane Durkin A thesis submitted to University College London for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy October 2012 Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT Declaration 2 Declaration I, Elizabeth Durkin, confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis Abstract 3 Abstract Neurosteroids are important endogenous modulators of the major inhibitory neurotransmitter receptor in the brain, the γ-amino-butyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor. They are involved in numerous physiological processes, and are linked to several central nervous system disorders, including depression and anxiety. The neurosteroids allopregnanolone and allo-tetrahydro-deoxy-corticosterone (THDOC) have many effects in animal models (anxiolysis, analgesia, sedation, anticonvulsion, antidepressive), suggesting they could be useful therapeutic agents, for example in anxiety, stress and mood disorders. Neurosteroids potentiate GABA-activated currents by binding to a conserved site within α subunits. Potentiation can be eliminated by hydrophobic substitution of the α1Q241 residue (or equivalent in other α isoforms). Previous studies suggest that α2 subunits are key components in neural circuits affecting anxiety and depression, and that neurosteroids are endogenous anxiolytics. It is therefore possible that this anxiolysis occurs via potentiation at α2 subunit-containing receptors. To examine this hypothesis, α2Q241M knock-in mice were generated, and used to define the roles of α2 subunits in mediating effects of endogenous and injected neurosteroids. Biochemical and imaging analyses indicated that relative expression levels and localization of GABAA receptor α1-α5 subunits were unaffected, suggesting the knock- in had not caused any compensatory effects.
    [Show full text]
  • An Open-Label Study to Evaluate Switching from an SSRI Or SNRI To
    Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 19[1]:25–30, 2007 Copyright © American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists ISSN: 1040-1237 print / 1547-3325 online DOI: 10.1080/10401230601163535 AnUACP Open-Label Study to Evaluate Switching from an SSRI or SNRI to Tiagabine to Alleviate Antidepressant- Induced Sexual Dysfunction in Generalized Anxiety Disorder THOMASEffect of Tiagabine on sexual dysfunction in GAD L. SCHWARTZ, MD Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA GEORGE S. NASRA, MD Unity Behavioral Health, Rochester, NY, USA ADAM K. ASHTON, MD Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, NY, USA DAVID KANG, MD, HARI KUMARESAN, MD, MARK CHILTON, MS, and FRANCESCA BERTONE, BA Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA Background. This study investigated tiagabine monotherapy in subjects with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) who had been switched from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) as a result of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction. Methods. Adults with DSM-IV GAD, an adequate therapeutic response (≥50% decrease in Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety [HAM-A] total score) to SSRI or SNRI and sexual dysfunction were switched to open-label tiagabine 4–12 mg/day for 14 weeks. Assessments included the HAM-A, Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale (HADS) and the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX); assessments were made at baseline and at Weeks 4, 8, and 14. Results. Twenty six subjects were included in the analysis. Tiagabine showed no worsening in baseline symptoms of GAD, with non-significant changes from baseline in mean HAM-A total scores and HADS Anxiety and Depression subscale scores.
    [Show full text]
  • Maintenance of Melanocyte Stem Cell Quiescence by GABA-A Signaling in Larval
    Genetics: Early Online, published on August 23, 2019 as 10.1534/genetics.119.302416 1 1 Maintenance of melanocyte stem cell quiescence by GABA-A signaling in larval 2 zebrafish 3 4 James R. Allen1*, James B. Skeath1, Stephen L. Johnson1† 5 6 1Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, 7 63110, USA 8 9 *Corresponding Author 10 † Deceased 11 Dedication: This paper is dedicated to the late Dr. Stephen L. Johnson. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Copyright 2019. 2 1 2 3 Running Title: GABA-A inhibits zebrafish pigmentation 4 Key Words: GABA, melanocyte, GABA-A receptors, quiescence, zebrafish, 5 pigmentation, inhibition, CRISPR 6 Corresponding Author: 7 Department of Genetics, Room 6315 Scott McKinley Research Building, 4523 Clayton 8 Avenue, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110 9 Ph: 314-362-05351, E-mail: [email protected] 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 3 1 Abstract: 2 In larval zebrafish, melanocyte stem cells (MSCs) are quiescent, but can be recruited to 3 regenerate the larval pigment pattern following melanocyte ablation. Through 4 pharmacological experiments, we found that inhibition of GABA-A receptor function, 5 specifically the GABA-A rho subtype, induces excessive melanocyte production in larval 6 zebrafish. Conversely, pharmacological activation of GABA-A inhibited melanocyte 7 regeneration. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to generate two mutant alleles of gabrr1, a subtype 8 of GABA-A receptors. Both alleles exhibited robust melanocyte overproduction, while 9 conditional overexpression of gabrr1 inhibited larval melanocyte regeneration.
    [Show full text]
  • Neurochemical and Behavioral Features in Genetic Absence Epilepsy and in Acutely Induced Absence Seizures
    Hindawi Publishing Corporation ISRN Neurology Volume 2013, Article ID 875834, 48 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/875834 Review Article Neurochemical and Behavioral Features in Genetic Absence Epilepsy and in Acutely Induced Absence Seizures A. S. Bazyan1 and G. van Luijtelaar2 1 Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Science, Russian Federation, 5A Butlerov Street, Moscow 117485, Russia 2 Biological Psychology, Donders Centre for Cognition, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands Correspondence should be addressed to G. van Luijtelaar; [email protected] Received 21 January 2013; Accepted 6 February 2013 Academic Editors: R. L. Macdonald, Y. Wang, and E. M. Wassermann Copyright © 2013 A. S. Bazyan and G. van Luijtelaar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The absence epilepsy typical electroencephalographic pattern of sharp spikes and slow waves (SWDs) is considered to be dueto an interaction of an initiation site in the cortex and a resonant circuit in the thalamus. The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cationic Ih pacemaker channels (HCN) play an important role in the enhanced cortical excitability. The role of thalamic HCN in SWD occurrence is less clear. Absence epilepsy in the WAG/Rij strain is accompanied by deficiency of the activity of dopaminergic system, which weakens the formation of an emotional positive state, causes depression-like symptoms, and counteracts learning and memory processes.
    [Show full text]
  • Mesial Frontal Epilepsy
    Epikpsia, 39(Suppl. 4):S49-S61. 1998 Lippincon-Raven Publishers, Philadelphia 0 International League Against Epilepsy Mesial Frontal Epilepsy Norman K. So Oregon Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Legacy Portland Hospitals, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. Summary: The mesiofrontal cortex comprises a number of occur. The task of localization of the epileptogenic zone can be distinct anatomic and functional areas. Structural lesions and challenging, whether EEG or imaging methods are used. Suc- cortical dysgenesis are recognized causes of mesial frontal epi- cessful localization can lead to a rewarding outcome after epi- lepsy, but a specific gene defect may also be important, as seen lepsy surgery, particularly in those with an imaged lesion. in some forms of familial frontal lobe epilepsy. The predomi- Key Words: Mesial frontal epilepsy-cingulate gyrus- nant seizure manifestations, which are not necessarily strictly Supplementary motor area-Absence seizure-Hypermotor correlated with a specific ictal onset zone, are absence, hyper- seizure-Postural tonic seizure-Epilepsy surgery. motor, and postural tonic seizures. Other seizure types also FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY convolution. Traditional cytoarchitectonics have further subdivided this anterior frontal region. The frontal pole The frontal lobe is the largest lobe in the brain, ac- refers to the anterior most portion of the frontal lobe, but counting for one-third to one-half of total brain volume there is little consensus on how far back this extends. and weight. On the medial surface, the most important One or more curved.sulci are seen anterior and inferior to landmark is the cingulate sulcus (Fig. 1). This runs as an the cingulate sulcus, called the superior and inferior ros- inverted “C” following the contour of the corpus callo- tral sulci.
    [Show full text]
  • The Double Generalization Phenomenon in Juvenile Absence Epilepsy
    Epilepsy & Behavior 21 (2011) 318–320 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Epilepsy & Behavior journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/yebeh Case Report The double generalization phenomenon in juvenile absence epilepsy Daniel San-Juan a,b,⁎, Adriana Patricia M. Mayorga a, David J. Anschel c, Alvaro Moreno Avellán a, Maricarmen F. González-Aragón a, Andrew J. Cole d a Clinical Neurophysiology Department, National Institute of Neurology, Mexico City, Mexico b Centro Neurológico, Hospital ABC Santa Fe, Mexico City, Mexico c Clinical Neurophysiology Department, Saint Charles Hospital, Port Jefferson, NY, USA d Epilepsy Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA article info abstract Article history: The characterization of a seizure as generalized or focal onset depends on a basic knowledge of the underlying Received 12 March 2011 pathophysiology. Recently, an uncommon phenomenon in generalized epilepsy—evolution of seizures Revised 7 April 2011 from generalized to focal followed by secondary generalization—was reported for the first time. We describe a Accepted 8 April 2011 15-year-old boy, initially classified as having partial epilepsy, who had a typical absence seizure that became Available online 14 May 2011 focal with second secondary generalization (double generalization). On the basis of these findings his epilepsy fi Keywords: was classi ed as juvenile absence epilepsy and his treatment was changed, resulting in seizure freedom. This fi Juvenile absence epilepsy is the rst report of this unusual electroclinical evolution in a patient with juvenile absence epilepsy. The Generalized epilepsy recognition of this particular pattern allows correct classification and impacts both treatment and prognosis. Focal findings © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Extrastriatal Gabaa Receptors As a Nondopaminergic Target In
    EXTRASTRIATAL GABAA RECEPTORS AS A NONDOPAMINERGIC TARGET IN THE TREATMENT OF MOTOR SYMPTOMS OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE AND LEVODOPA-INDUCED DYSKINESIA by ROBERT ASSINI A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School—Newark Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Program in Behavioral and Neural Sciences written under the direction of Professor Elizabeth D. Abercrombie and approved by ____________________________ Collin J. Lobb, PhD ____________________________ James M. Tepper, PhD ____________________________ Pierre-Olivier Polack, PhD ____________________________ Tibor Koos, PhD ____________________________ Elizabeth D. Abercrombie, PhD ___________________________ Juan Mena-Segovia, PhD Newark, New Jersey October, 2019 ©2019 Robert Assini ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Extrastriatal GABAA receptors as a nondopaminergic target in the treatment of motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and levodopa-induced dyskinesia By Robert Assini Dissertation Director: Prof. Elizabeth D. Abercrombie Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder resulting from the death of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal projection to the basal ganglia. Extrastriatal nuclei within this circuit have been shown to exhibit synchronous oscillatory activity entrained to excessive cortical beta oscillations following dopamine depletion. Zolpidem binds to GABAA receptors at the benzodiazepine site, potentiating inhibitory postsynaptic currents with selectivity for receptors expressing the α1 subunit. Coincidentally, the nuclei expressing the α1 subunit within the BG are also those that have been shown to have increased synchronous bursting activity in a dopamine-depleted state. We hypothesize that this differential expression of the α1 subunit indicates zolpidem-sensitive GABAA receptors may constitute a potential non-dopaminergic therapeutic intervention in the treatment of PD motor symptoms.
    [Show full text]
  • Managing Children with Epilepsy School Nurse Guide
    MANAGING CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY SCHOOL NURSE GUIDE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TO THOSE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE NOTEBOOK Children’s Hospital of Orange County Melodie Balsbaugh, RN Sue Nagel, RN Giana Nguyen, CHOC Institutes Fullerton School District Jane Bockhacker, RN Orange Unified School District Andrea Bautista, RN Martha Boughen, RN Karen Hanson, RN TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EPILEPSY What is epilepsy? Facts about epilepsy Basic neuroanatomy overview Classification of epileptic seizures Diagnostic Tests II. TREATMENT Medications Vagus Nerve Stimulation Ketogenic Diet Surgery III. SAFETY First Aid IV. SPECIAL CONCERNS MedicAlert Helmets Driving Employment and the law V. EPILEPSY AT SCHOOL School epilepsy assessment tool Seizure record Teaching children about epilepsy lesson plan Creating your own individualized health care plan VI. RESOURCES/SUPPORT GROUPS VII. ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE CHOC Epilepsy Center After-Hours Care After Hours Health Care Advice Healthy Families California Kids MediCal CHOC Clinics Healthy Tomorrows VIII. REFERENCES EPILEPSY WHAT IS EPILEPSY? Epilepsy is a neurological disorder. The brain contains millions of nerve cells called neurons that send electrical charges to each other. A seizure occurs when there is a sudden and brief excess surge of electrical activity in the brain between nerve cells. This results in an alteration in sensation, behavior, and consciousness. Seizures may be caused by developmental problems before birth, trauma at birth, head injury, tumor, structural problems, vascular problems (i.e. stroke, abnormal blood vessels), metabolic conditions (i.e. low blood sugar, low calcium), infections (i.e. meningitis, encephalitis) and idiopathic causes. Children who have idiopathic seizures are most likely to respond to medications and outgrow seizures.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Article
    Volume 10, Issue 3, 2020, 5552 - 5555 ISSN 2069-5837 Biointerface Research in Applied Chemistry www.BiointerfaceResearch.com https://doi.org/10.33263/BRIAC103.552555 Original Research Article Open Access Journal Received: 01.03.2020 / Revised: 14.03.2020 / Accepted: 14.03.2020 / Published on-line: 16.03.2020 Concurrent tissue oxymetry and blood flowmetry to assess the effect of drugs on cerebral oxygen metabolism Francesco Crespi 1,* 1Biology, Medicines Research Centre, Verona, Italy *corresponding author e-mail address: [email protected] | Scopus ID 56277075500 ABSTRACT An Oxylite/LDF system (Oxford Optronix, UK) driven by a sensor made of optical fibres for the tissue oxygen tension (pO2) and for the Laser Doppler Blood Flow (BF) was implemented. This has allowed pO2 and BF real time measurements in discrete brain areas of anaesthetised rats that were then challenged with exogenous oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The results gathered were compared with data obtained following treatment with drugs that have excitatory influence upon the brain activity such as amphetamine or with a central nervous system (CNS) depressant such as CI-966. Altogether these experiments support the methodology for in vivo investigation of pharmacological effects on cerebral oxygen metabolism and could provide new understandings on the effects of psychostimulants and anticonvulsants on selected brain regions. Keywords: in vivo; tissue oxymetry; blood flow; rat brain; amphetamine; CI-966. 1. INTRODUCTION Changes in tissue oxygen tension (pO2) reflect transient affecting brain metabolism [3] and has been proposed as a imbalance between oxygen consumption and supply, and are calibration to measure changes in oxygen metabolic rates [4, 5, 6].
    [Show full text]
  • Allosteric Modulation of GABAA Receptors by an Anilino Enaminone in an Olfactory Center of the Mouse Brain
    Pharmaceuticals 2014, 7, 1069-1090; doi:10.3390/ph7121069 OPEN ACCESS pharmaceuticals ISSN 1424-8247 www.mdpi.com/journal/pharmaceuticals Review Allosteric Modulation of GABAA Receptors by an Anilino Enaminone in an Olfactory Center of the Mouse Brain Thomas Heinbockel 1,*, Ze-Jun Wang 1 and Patrice L. Jackson-Ayotunde 2 1 Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] 2 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD 21853, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-202-806-9873. External Editor: Marlene A. Jacobson Received: 15 April 2014; in revised form: 24 November 2014 / Accepted: 4 December 2014 / Published: 17 December 2014 Abstract: In an ongoing effort to identify novel drugs that can be used as neurotherapeutic compounds, we have focused on anilino enaminones as potential anticonvulsant agents. Enaminones are organic compounds containing a conjugated system of an amine, an alkene and a ketone. Here, we review the effects of a small library of anilino enaminones on neuronal activity. Our experimental approach employs an olfactory bulb brain slice preparation using whole-cell patch-clamp recording from mitral cells in the main olfactory bulb. The main olfactory bulb is a key integrative center in the olfactory pathway. Mitral cells are the principal output neurons of the main olfactory bulb, receiving olfactory receptor neuron input at their dendrites within glomeruli, and projecting glutamatergic axons through the lateral olfactory tract to the olfactory cortex. The compounds tested are known to be effective in attenuating pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) induced convulsions in rodent models.
    [Show full text]