First steps towards a new approach to epilepsy treatment

June 19, 2008

The most prestigious funding body in the world for epilepsy has financially backed Australian research into new approaches to treat the condition.

The Epilepsy Therapy Project will provide almost US$300,000 over the next two years to a group of researchers from leading Australian institutions including the University of Newcastle.

The group will further develop new ways to treat the one-third of epilepsy patients for whom current treatments do not control their seizures.

Associate Professor Adam McCluskey from the University's School of Environmental andLife Sciences said the new funding would build on recent discoveries involving brain cell communication in sufferers of epilepsy.

"We have already found that compounds designed to block the action of a protein calleddynamin are effective against laboratory models of epilepsy – in these models they appear to block progression of key elements associated with epileptic seizures," Associate Professor McCluskey said.

"Four classes of drugs have been tested and two of these show real potential in stopping epileptic seizures, which is promising news for the one-third of people who don't respond to current treatments."

Approximately one in 120 people have epilepsy, while up to five per cent of the world's population will have a seizure at some time in their lives.

"The funding will allow us to continue clinical development of the new drugs and move towards commercialisation. If all goes to plan a new treatment for epilepsy could beentering clinical trials within the next three to five years," Associate Professor McCluskey said.

Source: Research Australia


Rank 4 /5 (3 votes)
Tags

Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • Is Everyday Technology Killing Us?
    createdFeb 08, 2012
  • Exercise and weight loss
    createdFeb 08, 2012
  • Why do we have head aches? Our brains can't feel anything.
    createdFeb 07, 2012
  • "The end of diseases" by David Agus, interview from Daily Show with Jon Stewart
    createdFeb 04, 2012
  • Oncolytic adenovirus
    createdFeb 04, 2012
  • Nutrition label stuffs and diets
    createdFeb 02, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - Medical Sciences

More news stories

Researchers make breakthrough in stem cell research

(Medical Xpress) -- University of Queensland scientists have developed a world-first method for producing adult stem cells that will substantially impact patients who have a range of serious diseases.

Medicine & Health / Research

created 50 minutes ago | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Georgia Tech develops software for the rapid analysis of foodborne pathogens

2011 brought two of the deadliest bacterial outbreaks the world has seen during the last 25 years. The two epidemics accounted for more than 4,200 cases of infectious disease and 80 deaths. Software developed at Georgia Tech ...

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created 42 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Can Viagra treat childhood lymphatic disorder?

(Medical Xpress) -- A surprising potential therapy for severe, hard-to-treat malformations of the lymphatic system is now being studied at the Stanford School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital: researchers ...

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created 17 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Don't ignore kids' snores

(Medical Xpress) -- Your ears aren’t playing tricks on you – that is the sound of snoring you hear from the bedroom of your preschooler. Snoring is common in children, but in some cases it can be a symptom of a ...

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created 7 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

WHO calls for stepped-up fight against leprosy

The World Health Organization called Monday for greater efforts to fight leprosy, warning the disfiguring disease was defying efforts to wipe it out across many countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created 13 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


New molecule has potential to help treat genetic diseases and HIV

(PhysOrg.com) -- Chemists at The University of Texas at Austin have created a molecule that's so good at tangling itself inside the double helix of a DNA sequence that it can stay there for up to 16 days before ...

With climate change, today's '100-year floods' may happen every three to 20 years: research

Last August, Hurricane Irene spun through the Caribbean and parts of the eastern United States, leaving widespread wreckage in its wake. The Category 3 storm whipped up water levels, generating storm surges ...

Researchers make better heat sensor based on butterfly wings

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have long known that butterfly wings produce their iridescent colors by bouncing light around and between tiny ridges in structures made of chitin. More recently they’ve discovered ...

Social psychologist: Lust makes you smarter and evidence that seven deadly sins are good for you

(Medical Xpress) -- Good news for lovers on Valentine’s Day - the seven deadly sins, including Lust, are good for you. University of Melbourne social psychologist Dr Simon Laham uses modern research to make a compelling ...

The joy of cheques

An electronic cheque which eliminates the need for costly processing by banks but preserves the simplicity and ease of a traditional cheque book has been designed by a team of academics in the UK.

Research shows promise in converting camelina oil into jet fuel

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at Montana State University-Northern have developed a process to convert camelina oil to jet fuel and other high-value chemicals. MSU has applied for a U.S. patent and research is ongoing.