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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.
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Stress and epilepsy: multiple models, multiple outcomes.

Nikki T Sawyer¹, Andrew Escayg

¹Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.

Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society

|November 16, 2010

Summary

Stress impacts epilepsy by influencing seizure frequency and severity. Animal models reveal the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis plays a key role, with stress showing both protective and triggering effects on seizures.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Epileptology
Stress Physiology

Background:

Human studies indicate a correlation between stress and epilepsy.
Stress can exacerbate seizure frequency and severity in epileptic individuals.
Animal models are crucial for investigating the mechanisms underlying the stress-epilepsy connection.

Purpose of the Study:

To review animal studies on the relationship between stress and seizure susceptibility.
To focus on the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in seizure generation.
To summarize the impact of HPA axis mediators, acute, chronic, and early life stress on seizure phenotypes.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on stress and epilepsy in animal models.
Analysis of studies focusing on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Examination of various stress paradigms (acute, chronic, early life) and their effects.

Main Results:

Stress exhibits both anticonvulsive and proconvulsive effects.
The observed effects are dependent on the animal strain and the specific stress/seizure induction methods.
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and its mediators are significantly involved.

Conclusions:

Interpreting the stress-epilepsy literature requires careful consideration of experimental variables.
Genetically modified mice offer new avenues for directly studying stress and epilepsy.
Further research using advanced models can elucidate the complex interplay between stress and seizure disorders.