Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
06:35
Isolation of Cerebral Capillaries from Fresh Human Brain Tissue
Published on: September 12, 2018
The blood-brain barrier and epilepsy
1Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Department of Neurological Surgery, Cerebrovascular Research, Ohio 44195, USA.
Epilepsia
|November 23, 2006
Summary
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a crucial role in epilepsy. BBB dysfunction, including breakdown and inflammation, is increasingly recognized as a factor in seizure disorders and drug resistance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Epilepsy Research
Background:
- Growing interest in the blood-brain barrier's (BBB) role in epilepsy.
- Advances in neuroradiology and research into metabolic deficiencies, neuroinflammation, and drug resistance highlight BBB significance.
- Historical BBB research in epilepsy focused on ultrastructure, glucose transport, and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the complex relationships between blood-brain barrier function and epilepsy.
- To explore the BBB's role in epileptogenesis and drug delivery.
- To compare clinical findings with animal study results regarding BBB and epilepsy.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on BBB function and epilepsy.
- Analysis of advances in neuroradiology and imaging techniques.
- Examination of studies on metabolic deficiencies, neuroinflammation, and drug resistance.
Main Results:
- BBB disruption can be therapeutically manipulated for drug delivery to resistant brain areas.
- BBB failure is a potential mechanism in the development of epilepsy (epileptogenesis).
- Inflammatory processes and blood-borne factors crossing a "leaky" BBB may contribute to epilepsy.
Conclusions:
- The BBB's role in epilepsy is multifaceted, involving breakdown, inflammation, and drug resistance.
- Understanding BBB dynamics is critical for epilepsy treatment and understanding its causes.
- Discrepancies and agreements between clinical observations and animal models of BBB function in epilepsy warrant further investigation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
00:49The Blood-brain Barrier
Overview
01:24Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
01:25Physiological Barriers
Physiological barriers are semi-permeable cellular structures restricting drug diffusion into intracellular compartments and tissues. There are six types of physiological barriers: blood endothelial, cell membrane, blood-brain, blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood-placenta, and blood-testis barriers.
The blood endothelial barrier is the most porous of these. It allows all small ionized, un-ionized, and lipophilic molecules to pass through the endothelial lining into the interstitial space...
The blood endothelial barrier is the most porous of these. It allows all small ionized, un-ionized, and lipophilic molecules to pass through the endothelial lining into the interstitial space...
01:18Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators
γ-aminobutyric acid or GABA, plays a pivotal role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA pathway potentiators, also known as GABAergic drugs, are a class of pharmaceutical agents designed to enhance the functioning of the GABAergic system. These medications primarily treat epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...
01:20Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein
Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
01:14Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists
Glutamate is a fundamental neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, playing a vital role in neuronal communication and various cognitive processes. Glutamate stands as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its presence is crucial for the communication between neurons, underpinning essential processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity. These functions are vital for higher-order cognitive processes, including learning and memory. The...