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

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

645
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...
645
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

400
Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
400
Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists01:30

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

286
Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function.
286
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators01:18

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

888
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...
888
Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

572
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...
572
Seizures: Classification01:13

Seizures: Classification

862
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:
862

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Genetic Testing in Adult Patients With Epilepsy: Genetic Risk Index for Seizure Etiology for Identifying Optimal Candidates.

Neurology. Clinical practice·2026
Same author

Impact of incretin therapies on biochemical and imaging outcomes in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

American journal of preventive cardiology·2026
Same author

E-cigarette aerosol-induced neurotoxicity during early brain development: mechanisms and outcomes.

Pediatric research·2026
Same author

Interpreting Treatment Effects Using Posterior Probabilities: A Bayesian Reanalysis of 230 Phase III Oncology Trials.

JCO clinical cancer informatics·2026
Same author

Visual memory correlates with AD biomarkers in cognitively unimpaired individuals.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association·2026
Same author

Postapproval Study for Brain-Responsive Neurostimulation for Drug-Resistant Focal Epilepsy: Three-Year Efficacy and Interim Safety Results.

Neurology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice
13:34

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice

Published on: June 4, 2020

8.6K

Vinpocetine, cognition, and epilepsy.

Kimford J Meador1, Beth Leeman-Markowski2, Alexandre E Medina3

  • 1Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.

Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B
|May 6, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Vinpocetine did not improve cognition in healthy adults or epilepsy patients. Human blood levels were lower than in animals, suggesting higher doses may be needed to evaluate its cognitive effects.

Keywords:
Antiseizure medicationCognitionEpilepsyMemoryVinpocetine

More Related Videos

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

504
Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Kindling Mouse Model
07:06

Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Kindling Mouse Model

Published on: June 12, 2018

33.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice
13:34

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice

Published on: June 4, 2020

8.6K
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

504
Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Kindling Mouse Model
07:06

Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Kindling Mouse Model

Published on: June 12, 2018

33.9K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Vinpocetine shows potential for memory enhancement in animal models.
  • Cognitive benefits in humans are yet to be definitively established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the cognitive effects of vinpocetine in healthy volunteers and epilepsy patients.
  • To compare human and animal blood levels of vinpocetine and its metabolite, apovincaminic acid (AVA).

Main Methods:

  • Double-blind, randomized, crossover trials in 8 healthy volunteers and 8 epilepsy patients.
  • Administered single oral doses of vinpocetine (placebo, 10, 20, 60 mg) and a one-month open-label phase for epilepsy patients.
  • Compared human pharmacokinetic data with that from 45 mice receiving intraperitoneal vinpocetine.

Main Results:

  • No significant cognitive improvements were observed in either group.
  • Vinpocetine and AVA levels were lower in humans compared to animals.
  • No significant side effects were reported.

Conclusions:

  • Vinpocetine was well-tolerated but did not demonstrate cognitive enhancement in this study.
  • Lower human blood levels suggest current dosages may be insufficient for therapeutic effect.
  • Further research with higher dosages is recommended to explore vinpocetine's cognitive efficacy in humans.