Reduced expression of the glucocorticoid receptor in the hippocampus of patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy and comorbid depression.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Depressive disorders are common among about 50% of the patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The underlying etiology remains elusive, but hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation due to changes in glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein expression could play an important role. Therefore, we set out to investigate expression of the GR in the hippocampus, an important brain region for HPA axis feedback, of patients with drug-resistant TLE, with and without comorbid depression.

Methods

GR expression was studied using immunohistochemistry on hippocampal sections from well-characterized TLE patients with depression (TLE + D, n = 14) and without depression (TLE - D, n = 12) who underwent surgery for drug-resistant epilepsy, as well as on hip

SUBMITTER: D'Alessio L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7496961 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature