Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

1.2K
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...
1.2K
Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists01:14

Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists

1.3K
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...
1.3K
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

1.7K
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...
1.7K
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators01:18

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

1.7K
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...
1.7K
Seizures: Classification01:13

Seizures: Classification

2.5K
Epilepsy is primarily characterized by unpredictable seizures, either provoked by an identifiable factor, such as injury or illness, or unprovoked, occurring spontaneously without apparent cause.
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:
2.5K
Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers01:08

Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers

2.4K
Antiepileptic drugs are specialized medications that prevent seizures in individuals diagnosed with epilepsy. These drugs primarily function by blocking the movement of sodium ions through channels in the neuronal membrane, inhibiting the repetitive firing of action potentials often associated with seizures.
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...
2.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy Related Interstitial Lung Disease Patients Present to Pulmonology: A Tertiary Center Experience.

Annals of the American Thoracic Society·2026
Same author

Patient outcomes from implementing a shared decision-making aid for systemic lupus erythematosus: a prospective implementation study.

The Lancet. Rheumatology·2025
Same author

The Human Voice as a Digital Health Solution Leveraging Artificial Intelligence.

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome With Spinal Cord Involvement.

The neurologist·2025
Same author

Implementation outcomes of a patient decision-aid in a diverse population with systemic lupus erythematosus in 15 US rheumatology clinics.

Rheumatology (Oxford, England)·2025
Same author

Time required to implement a computerized patient decision aid for lupus in outpatient visits.

Implementation science communications·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 4, 2026

Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus
08:28

Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus

Published on: April 5, 2011

17.1K

Valacyclovir and Acyclovir Neurotoxicity With Status Epilepticus.

Sumedh S Hoskote1, Narender Annapureddy, Atul K Ramesh

  • 11Department of Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; 2Section of Critical Care, Department of Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; and 3Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY; 4Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. †Present address: Dr. Hoskote is now with the Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; ‡Present address: Dr. Annapureddy is now with the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL.

American Journal of Therapeutics
|December 26, 2013
PubMed
Summary

A patient developed severe neurological symptoms, including seizures and hallucinations, after taking antiviral medications for herpes zoster. These symptoms were caused by drug toxicity, not infection, highlighting the importance of differentiating antiviral neurotoxicity from meningoencephalitis.

More Related Videos

Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury
09:16

Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

Published on: June 21, 2019

26.4K
Long-term Continuous EEG Monitoring in Small Rodent Models of Human Disease Using the Epoch Wireless Transmitter System
08:43

Long-term Continuous EEG Monitoring in Small Rodent Models of Human Disease Using the Epoch Wireless Transmitter System

Published on: July 21, 2015

25.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 4, 2026

Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus
08:28

Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus

Published on: April 5, 2011

17.1K
Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury
09:16

Use of a Wireless Video-EEG System to Monitor Epileptiform Discharges Following Lateral Fluid-Percussion Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

Published on: June 21, 2019

26.4K
Long-term Continuous EEG Monitoring in Small Rodent Models of Human Disease Using the Epoch Wireless Transmitter System
08:43

Long-term Continuous EEG Monitoring in Small Rodent Models of Human Disease Using the Epoch Wireless Transmitter System

Published on: July 21, 2015

25.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pharmacology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Antiviral medications like acyclovir and valacyclovir are commonly used to treat herpes zoster (shingles).
  • Patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis may have altered drug metabolism and excretion.
  • Neurotoxicity is a known, albeit rare, side effect of these antiviral agents.

Observation:

  • A 52-year-old male with multiple comorbidities presented with a herpes zoster rash.
  • He developed irritability, hallucinations, disorientation, and somnolence after initiating oral valacyclovir.
  • Intravenous acyclovir was started due to concern for meningoencephalitis, but neurological decline continued, leading to status epilepticus.

Findings:

  • Diagnostic workup, including neuroimaging and lumbar puncture, did not support an infectious meningoencephalitis (herpes simplex virus or varicella zoster virus).
  • The patient's condition improved significantly with daily hemodialysis to remove the antiviral drugs, confirming acyclovir and valacyclovir neurotoxicity.
  • Status epilepticus was attributed to antiviral drug toxicity in a patient with end-stage renal disease.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the critical need to consider antiviral neurotoxicity in patients presenting with neurological symptoms after receiving acyclovir or valacyclovir, especially those with renal impairment.
  • Differentiating drug-induced neurotoxicity from viral meningoencephalitis is crucial as management strategies differ significantly.
  • Prompt recognition and management, including drug cessation and enhanced dialysis, can lead to full neurological recovery.