News - Research
grants made in 2005 by the Epilepsy Research
Foundation
19 April 2005
The Epilepsy Research Foundation is funding
£275,000 of research into projects lasting
between 12 and 36 months that may contribute
to ground-breaking developments in research
into epilepsy by some of the best research
scientists in the UK.
Mechanisms of neurotransmitter release
in epilepsy
Dr Mike Cousin from Department of Biomedical
Sciences at the University of Edinburgh
will use in vitro brain cell models to identify
how neurotransmitter is released from epilepsy-specific
cells. It is hoped this research could lead
to more targeted drug therapies with fewer
side effects.
Grantholder: Dr Michael Cousin
Institution: University of Edinburgh
Duration of project: 36 months
Grant made: £59,962.50
Project title: Mechanisms of synaptic vesicle
recycling in epilepsy
Genes associated with idiopathic generalised
epilepsy
Dr Andrew Makoff from the Institute of Psychiatry
in London is using data pooling on a DNA
sample from epilepsy patients, their parents
and controls to investigate sodium channel
genes that might affect whether a person
is susceptible to epilepsy. Data pooling
is a new technique which reduces the amount
of genotype assays that have to be carried
out. Identifying genes that predispose to
epilepsy will increase our understanding
of how these epilepsies occur. In the medium
term, using genetic susceptibility may improve
success of medical treatment for each individual,
and provide molecular targets for the design
of new treatments.
Grantholder: Dr Andrew Makoff
Institution: Institute of Psychiatry, London
Duration of project: 12 months
Grant made: £46,260.00
Project title: High density SNP screen of
sodium channel genes for association with
idiopathic generalised epilepsy
Effects of brain surgery on memory in
children
Dr Torsten Baldeweg from the Department
of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
at the Institute of Child Health, University
College London is undertaking a long-term
study of children who have had surgery for
temporal lobe epilepsy to find out the effects
on their verbal memory. There is some concern
that adults undergoing the same surgery
have suffered considerable memory loss over
nine years later, this is the first study
to assess the long-term effects on children.
Grantholder: Dr Torsten Baldeweg
Institution: Institute of Child Health,
London
Duration of project: 21.5 months
Grant made: £64,828.00
Project title: Long-term neuropsychological
follow-up of children who had neurosurgical
treatment for the relief of temporal lobe
epilepsy
Long-term effect of AEDs
Dr Graeme Sills from the Division of Cardiovascular
and Medical Sciences at the University of
Glasgow will use micro-SPECT imaging to
monitor the effects of daily drug therapy
in a small number of animals. This gives
a better assessment of anti-epileptic drug
action as it might happen in humans. In
the short-term, this unique project should
provide us with important new information
about how antiepileptic drugs work and how
they could be used better in the treatment
of epilepsy. In the longer term, this research
could highlight drug mechanisms that may
help when designing new compounds for drug
resistant epilepsy.
Grantholder: Dr Graeme Sills
Institution: University of Glasgow
Duration of project: 12 months
Grant made: £59,382.00
Project title: Evaluation of anti-epileptic
drug action using in vivo micro-SPECT imaging
Neurotransmitters and epilepsy caused
by hippocampal sclerosis
Dr Nicholas Barnes of the University of
Birmingham will study the distribution of
receptors for neurotransmitters in tissue
from patients who have had surgery for temporal
lobe epilepsy caused by hippocampal sclerosis.
These patients appear to have a different
distribution of some types of neurotransmitter
receptors in the part of the brain where
seizures occur. The hope is that it will
then be possible to develop new drugs which
target these receptors.
Grantholder: Dr Nicholas Barnes
Institution: University of Birmingham
Duration of project: 18 months
Grant made: £45,316.00
Project title: Increased expression of 5-HT3
receptors in hippocampus of patients with
TLE: potential target for therapeutic benefit?
Leigh Slocombe, Executive Director of Epilepsy
Research UK says, I am very excited about
the portfolio of grants we have made. The
projects will all advance our understanding
of epilepsy and improving the treatments
that we currently have at our disposal.
Each step takes us closer to discovering
the causes of epilepsy, how to prevent it
and find the best possible treatments.'
