Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale
07:35

Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale

Published on: July 8, 2025

1.2K

A case of early myoclonic encephalopathy with intractable seizures successfully treated with high-dose phenobarbital

Takuya Kosaka1, Genrei Ohta1, Hiroshi Kometani2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Fukui, Japan.

Brain & Development
|April 28, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Early myoclonic encephalopathy (EME) is a neonatal epilepsy. High-dose phenobarbital effectively controlled seizures in a neonate with EME, suggesting a potential treatment for this condition.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Neurology
  • Epileptology

Background:

  • Early myoclonic encephalopathy (EME) is a rare neonatal epileptic encephalopathy.
  • Characterized by myoclonic seizures refractory to standard antiepileptic drugs.
  • No established effective treatment for EME exists.

Observation:

  • A male infant presented with erratic myoclonus, upward gaze, and facial flushing within the first week of life.
  • Electroencephalogram (EEG) revealed a burst-suppression pattern, consistent with EME diagnosis.
  • Initial treatments with valproate and vitamin B6 were ineffective.

Findings:

  • Introduction of oral high-dose phenobarbital therapy led to significant seizure reduction.
  • Seizures decreased from 20-30 times daily to 1-2 times weekly.
  • EEG normalized, showing disappearance of the burst-suppression pattern.

Implications:

  • Oral high-dose phenobarbital may be an effective treatment for controlling seizures in EME.
  • This case highlights a potential therapeutic option for refractory neonatal epilepsy.
  • Further research is warranted to confirm phenobarbital's efficacy in EME.
Abstract

Keywords:
Burst-suppression patternEarly myoclonic encephalopathyEpileptic encephalopathyHigh-dose phenobarbital

More Related Videos

A Novel Method to Model Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Drosophila10:15

A Novel Method to Model Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Drosophila

Published on: July 4, 2017

8.7K
Anteromesial Temporal Lobectomy for Medically Intractable Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: An Operative Study11:29

Anteromesial Temporal Lobectomy for Medically Intractable Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: An Operative Study

Published on: August 15, 2025

2.2K

Related Concept Videos

Seizures: Classification01:13

Seizures: Classification

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:
1.4K
Dose Size and Dosing Frequency: Determination Methods01:21

Dose Size and Dosing Frequency: Determination Methods

Determining the optimal dose size and dosing frequency in pharmacotherapy is crucial for achieving therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing adverse effects. This article explores the methodologies employed in determining these parameters, focusing on their significance and interplay to tailor dosing regimens.Dose Size: Dose size refers to the amount of a drug administered in a single dose. It is determined based on the drug's pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics properties and...
287
Determination of Multiple Dosing Parameters: Loading and Maintenance Doses01:25

Determination of Multiple Dosing Parameters: Loading and Maintenance Doses

A loading dose is an essential pharmacological strategy to rapidly achieve the target plasma drug concentration necessary for an immediate therapeutic effect. This approach is especially critical for drugs characterized by slow absorption or extended half-lives, where delaying therapeutic plasma levels could compromise treatment outcomes. By administering a loading dose, clinicians ensure a prompt onset of drug action, even for agents with complex pharmacokinetic profiles.Achieving steady-state...
230
Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy 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...
1.2K
Rational Dosage Regimen: Maintenance Dose and Loading Dose01:24

Rational Dosage Regimen: Maintenance Dose and Loading Dose

A rational dosage regimen considers a drug's pharmacokinetics, including its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination from the body. By understanding these factors, the appropriate dosage can be determined, and the dosing schedule can be designed to achieve and maintain the desired therapeutic effect while minimizing adverse effects.
In most cases, drugs are administered repetitively or infused continuously to maintain a steady-state concentration in the body. At a steady...
5.5K
Dose-Response Relationship: Overview01:03

Dose-Response Relationship: Overview

Agonists can bind with and activate receptors, resulting in the formation of drug-receptor complexes. Once formed, these complexes catalyze many biochemical processes at the cellular level and subsequently induce a pharmacologic response. The degree of response is directly proportional to the fraction of activated receptors, which in turn, depends on the concentration of the drug at the receptor site as well as the sensitivity of the receptor. An increase in the administered dose contributes to...
5.0K