Astroglial networks and implications for therapeutic neuromodulation of epilepsy.

ABSTRACT: Epilepsy is a common chronic neurologic disorder affecting approximately 1% of the world population. More than one-third of all epilepsy patients have incompletely controlled seizures or debilitating medication side effects in spite of optimal medical management. Medically refractory epilepsy is associated with excess injury and mortality, psychosocial dysfunction, and significant cognitive impairment. Effective treatment options for these patients can be limited. The cellular mechanisms underlying seizure activity are incompletely understood, though we here describe multiple lines of evidence supporting the likely contribution of astroglia to epilepsy, with focus on individual astrocytes and their network functions. Of the emerging therapeutic modalities for epilepsy, one of the most intr

SUBMITTER: Witcher MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3429855 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature