The dentate gyrus of hippocampus has long been considered as a focal point for studies on mechanisms responsible for the development of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Change in intrinsic properties of dentate gyrus granule cells (GCs) has been considered as an important factor responsible in temporal lobe seizures. In this study, we evaluated the intrinsic properties of GCs, during acute phase o...

The endocannabinoid system modulates neuronal excitability, protects neurons against hyperexcitability and is involved in epileptogenesis in animal models of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis. We performed in vivo positron emission tomography imaging of the type 1 cannabinoid receptor in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis. Twelve patien...

The dentate gyrus of hippocampus has long been considered as a focal point for studies on mechanisms responsible for the development of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Change in intrinsic properties of dentate gyrus granule cells (GCs) has been considered as an important factor responsible in temporal lobe seizures. In this study, we evaluated the intrinsic properties of GCs, during acute phase o...

BACKGROUND Previous work has identified elevated prevalence rates for psychiatric disorders in individuals with medically refractory focal epilepsy, particularly temporal lobe epilepsy. Many studies were undertaken before the advent of video electroencephalogram monitoring (VEM) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). AIMS To investigate which characteristics of the focal epilepsy syndromes are...

We report a patient with medically refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy treated by gamma knife radiosurgery. In lieu of a microsurgical procedure, an entorhinoamygdalohippocampectomy was performed with a gamma knife and low marginal doses (25 Gy). The clinical and imaging studies, including CT, MR imaging, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), and long-term follow-u...

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common form of adult epilepsy in surgical series. Currently, the only characteristic used to predict poor response to clinical treatment in this syndrome is the presence of hippocampal sclerosis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in genes encoding drug transporter and metabolism proteins could influence response to therapy. Therefore, we ai...

In the human, the erratic symptoms associated with spontaneous neural activity, generated by bursts of electrical brain impulses, have contributed to the age-old folklore and superstitions associated with epilepsy. Epilepsy affects 1-2% of the population, and specifically temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) afflicts 50% of all adults with seizures. In contrast to generalized epileptic seizures, which ...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this case report is to better characterize the clinical features and potential pathophysiological mechanisms of exercise-induced seizures. METHODS We report a case series of ten patients from a tertiary epilepsy center, where a clear history was obtained of physical exercise as a reproducible trigger for seizures. RESULTS The precipitating type of exercise was qui...

BACKGROUND Temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with a significant risk of psychosis but there are only limited studies investigating the underlying neurobiology. AIMS To characterise neuroanatomical changes in temporal lobe epilepsy and comorbid psychosis. METHOD The study population comprised all individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy on the epilepsy database at the National Centre for E...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the comorbidity of depressive disorders in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). METHOD We evaluated 25 consecutive patients with refractory TLE (16 women and 9 men), using semi-structured psychiatric interviews, according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), and the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS Seventeen of 25 patients (68%)...