Effect of Zonisamide (CI-912) on a Synaptic System Model

The effect of the experimental antiepileptic drug zonisamide (1,2-benzisoxazole-3-methanesulfonamide, ZNS) on the trigeminal complex of cats was compared with the effect of established antiepileptic drugs. Intravenous administration of 10-40 mg/kg ZNS significantly depresses descending excitatory mechanisms, as well as segmental and descending inhibitory mechanisms, but has only a minor effect on segmental excitatory mechanisms. This spectrum of activity is similar to that of valproate, and suggests that ZNS should also be a broad-spectrum antiepileptic drug. In agreement with our experimental observations, it has been found that ZNS is effective against complex partial, generalized tonic clonic, and myoclonic seizures. The antiepileptic profile of ZNS in conventional screening tests resembles that of carbamazepine (CBZ) and phenytoin. However, CBZ exacerbates rather than prevents myoclonic seizures. Our experimental model thus provides a more accurate prediction of ZNS's clinical spectrum of activity. The relationship of these findings to the mechanism of action of antiepileptic drugs is discussed.     

Carbamazepine Side Effects in Children and Adults

Summary: Most of the side effects associated with carbamazepine (Tegretol^®, USP, Geigy Pharmaceuticals) therapy are mild, transient, and reversible with an adjustment in dosage or rate of dosage increase. Direct reports to Geigy Pharmaceuticals for the period 1975 to 1986 totaled 371 hematologic, 396 dermatologic, and 156 hepatic and pancreatic occurrences out of more than 4 million patients treated. These include 27 cases of aplastic anemia and 10 of agranulocytosis. In a study of the incidence of side effects in 220 children below the age of 16 years who were receiving carbamazepine, drowsiness, loss of coordination, and vertigo were the most commonly observed side effects and were almost always transient and dose related. The findings of this study are comparable with those of other series assessing carbam-azepine-associated adverse reactions in children and adults. Overall, 30 to 50% of children and adults were reportedly free of side effects in these studies. Recommendations for carbamazepine therapy include education of patients and parents in the nature and likelihood of possible serious adverse reactions and routine monitoring to detect laboratory abnormalities.     

Modification of the Na,K-pump of glial cells within cobalt-induced epileptogenic cortex of rat

The characteristics of a glial Na⁺,K⁺-pump dependent on extracellular K⁺ within epileptogenic cortex were studied electrophysiologically, biochemically and histochemically in vitro using slices from cobalt-induced epileptogenic cortex of rat. When the extracellular K⁺ concentration ([K⁺]_o) was varied between 4 and 40 mM, the mean slope of membrane potential plotted against [K⁺]_o was about 57 mV in glia from the normal cortex (tissue A) and about 44 mV in glia from the epileptogenic cortex (tissue B); whereas no significant difference in the resting membrane potential of these tissues was observed. In glia from tissue B, a marked transient hyperpolarization above control level was caused by replacement of elevated [K⁺]_o with the normal medium. Ouabain abolished these phenomena observed in glia from tissue B, but had no effect on the membrane potential during normal [K⁺]_o. Reduction of extracellular Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Cl⁻ did not significantly affect the membrane potential of glia from either tissue. In tissue A, the cells marked by intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase after intracellular recording were protoplasmic astrocytes; in tissue B, fibrous astrocytes with abnormal processes predominated. K⁺-dependent stimulation of Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity of the astrocyte-enriched fraction and its membrane preparation from tissue B was much larger than that from tissue A. A certain amount of the reaction product of K⁺-pNPPase activity was seen on glial plasma membrane within tissue B but not on that from tissue A. The above findings suggest that a glial Na⁺,K⁺-pump within actively firing epileptogenic cortex may be modified to increase in its activity.     

青阳参甙元的分子结构研究

青阳参甙是一种已用于临床,对癫痫病有较好疗效的药物,其二乙酰甙元的立体分子结构用x射线衍射方法进行了测定,并与几种作用于神经系统药物的分子结构作了对比,还讨论了它们共同具有的相似的活性基团。     

托吡酯和丙戊酸钠治疗特发性全面性强直阵挛发作的临床疗效比较

目的:探讨中等剂量托吡酯(商品名:妥泰)200mg对特发性全面性强直阵挛(GTCS)发作的疗效。方法:64例GTCS患者分成三组,妥泰单药治疗21例,妥泰联合丙戊酸钠治疗22例,另外21例采用丙戊酸钠治疗作对照。结果:妥泰单药组及联用药组治疗GTCS有效例数明显高于单用丙戊酸钠组,差异显著(P<0.05);同时单用妥泰组与联用丙戊酸钠组疗效相近(P>0.05)。结论:妥泰治疗GTCS疗效优于丙戊酸钠,且妥泰单一用药与联用丙戊酸钠治疗疗效相近。     

Magnesium deficiency as a cause of acute intractable seizures

Summary Clinical and experimental investigations have shown that magnesium depletion causes a marked irritability of the nervous system, eventually resulting in epileptic seizures. Although magnesium deficiency as a cause of epilepsy is uncommon, its recognition and correction may prove life-saving. Two case reports are presented which emphasize the importance of recognizing hypomagnesaemia in patients with acute intractable seizures.     

Epilepsy After Stroke

A retrospective follow-up of 200 consecutive stroke patients [ischemic brain infarction (IBI) 157, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) 20, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) 23] who were in need of ambulatory rehabilitation was conducted for a mean period of 40 months after stroke. Epilepsy developed in 33 (17%) patients. The occurrence of epilepsy was 14% in IBI, 15% in ICH, and 35% in SAH. Significantly more patients developed epilepsy in the SAH group than in the IBI group (8 of 23 vs. 22 of 157, p less than 0.05). Of the 33 patients, 15% had their first seizures within the first 2 weeks after stroke, and 55% developed epilepsy in 6 months. Forty-eight percent of the patients had generalized seizures. Antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment was started in 28 of 33 patients, of whom 17 still had seizures during follow-up. Epilepsy was an important consequence of stroke among patients who needed rehabilitation, especially in SAH patients. In most, this was due to arterial spasm leading to IBI.     

经胼胝体穹隆间人路切除下丘脑内型错构瘤

目的探讨下丘脑内型错构瘤的手术治疗方法。方法报告4例下丘脑内型错构瘤,采用右额后开颅经胼胝体-透明隔-穹隆间入路切除下丘脑内型错构瘤。结果4例均为儿童,男女为31,均以癫痫发作为主要症状,错构瘤为大部切除或部分切除,术后低钠血症1例,轻度尿崩1例,无其他合并症。随诊半年至1.5年,无任何癫痫发作。结论经胼胝体-透明膈-穹隆间入路是下丘脑内型错构瘤的最佳手术入路,错构瘤大部切除或部分切除即可取得满意疗效。     

Video-EEG Study of Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures: Differential Characteristics in Patients with and without Epilepsy

Summary:  Purpose: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are episodes that may resemble epileptic seizures (ES) but are not associated with abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Video-EEG recording of a typical episode is considered the best diagnostic tool available. PNES are, however, also documented in patients with epilepsy (PNES/ES). The purpose of this study was to assess this comorbid population, focusing on the differences between patients with PNES/ES and patients with PNES alone.
Methods: We reviewed 110 PNES episodes, occurring spontaneously or induced by means of suggestion techniques, recorded in our video-EEG laboratory over a period of eight years. We identified two subgroups of patients, consisting of 85 PNES cases and 25 PNES/ES cases, and assessed any differences in their characteristics by reviewing a number of variables (age, sex, clinical features, antiepileptic therapy, age of onset, time to diagnosis, pathological history, and length of follow-up).
Results: The comparison between the two subgroups revealed that PNES/ES patients displayed some statistically significant differences when compared with PNES alone patients, i.e., younger age, a higher percentage of spontaneously activated events, a shorter disease duration, a longer time to PNES diagnosis, and a lower percentage lost at follow-up.
Conclusions: This study confirms that PNES is a common, though probably underestimated, occurrence in epilepsy services. Our results shed light on some different characteristics between PNES and PNES/ES patients.     

白细胞介素-1β对谷氨酸钠致痫大鼠海马Gs蛋白表达的影响

目的 探讨白细胞介素-1β(Interleukin-1，IL-1β)在谷氨酸钠致痫大鼠中对海马兴奋性G-蛋白α亚基(stimulated G-protein α subunit，Gsα)蛋白表达的影响，为阐明IL-1β在致痫中的作用机制提供线索。方法 免疫组织化学方法结合行为观察(SD大鼠随机分为对照组、GluNa组、IL-1β GluNa组、rhIL-1ra IL1β GluNa组和D-AP-5 IL-1β GluNa组)。结果 行为观察显示，IL-1β GluNa组大鼠痫性发作潜伏期(平均2min)较其他组(平均6min)明显缩短，且发作程度(Ⅲ～Ⅳ级)较其他组(Ⅰ～Ⅲ级)严重；对照组无痫性发作。免疫组织化学染色显示，Gsα蛋白在海马各区均有表达，IL-1β GluNa组大鼠在齿状回、CAl区和CA3区Gsa表达较其他组明显增强。结论 IL-1β参与致痫，且在谷氨酸致痫中可能通过Gs蛋白介导发挥作用。