Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 15, 2026
Author Spotlight: Insights into the Techniques and Findings of Recent Advancements in Epilepsy Research
Published on: October 13, 2023
Advancing Understanding of Epilepsy and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Global Perspective on Research Trends and Future
Ruirui Zhang1, Shenglin Wang2,3, Sirui Chen1
1Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, The Second Hospital & Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Aims:
Evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship between epilepsy and Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), but the underlying mechanisms and overall research landscape remain incompletely understood. This study is aimed at delineating research trends and sharing pathogenic pathways between epilepsy and T1DM through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis and genetic investigation.
Methods:
We performed a systematic search of the Web of Science Core Collection database (from 1983 to 2024) to identify relevant publications on epilepsy and T1DM. Bibliometric tools (Bibliometrix and CiteSpace) were employed to analyze publication trends, major contributors, and research hotspots. Shared genes were identified via disease-gene association databases (GeneCards and OMIM), and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed using GEO2R on GEO datasets.
Results:
A total of 217 publications were included. Publication output demonstrated exponential growth over the study period (R 2 = 0.6999). The United States, the United Kingdom, and China were the leading contributing countries, exhibiting varying collaboration patterns. Analysis of keywords and co-citations highlighted the central role of autoimmunity, particularly glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies, in linking the two diseases. Keyword and thematic analyses revealed that recent trends indicate growing attention to clinical management, particularly of severe hypoglycemia. Genetic analysis identified 44 overlapping genes between epilepsy and T1DM, which were significantly enriched for autoimmune-associated terms (p < 0.001). Notably, the translocator protein (TSPO) was the only DEG in both conditions, with upregulation observed in T1DM (log2FC = 0.504, p = 0.0319) and epilepsy (log2FC = 0.562, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
This study maps the evolving research landscape of epilepsy and T1DM, confirming autoimmunity as a key link. The identification of TSPO as a shared, upregulated gene provides novel molecular evidence for the connection between the two diseases and suggests TSPO as a potential target for future research and therapeutic strategies.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
01:22Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin, and individuals with...
01:22Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
01:15Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy
Insulin remains the cornerstone of treatment for most patients with type 1 and many...
01:20Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
01:21EPS and iPS Cells in Disease Research