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Mutant GABA A receptor γ2-subunit in childhood absence epilepsy and febrile seizures

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TLDR
It is found that the mutation in GABRG2 (encoding the γ2-subunit) abolished in vitro sensitivity to diazepam, raising the possibility that endozepines do in fact exist and have a physiological role in preventing seizures.
Abstract
Epilepsies affect at least 2% of the population at some time in life, and many forms have genetic determinants. We have found a mutation in a gene encoding a GABA(A) receptor subunit in a large family with epilepsy. The two main phenotypes were childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) and febrile seizures (FS). There is a recognized genetic relationship between FS and CAE, yet the two syndromes have different ages of onset, and the physiology of absences and convulsions is distinct. This suggests the mutation has age-dependent effects on different neuronal networks that influence the expression of these clinically distinct, but genetically related, epilepsy phenotypes. We found that the mutation in GABRG2 (encoding the gamma2-subunit) abolished in vitro sensitivity to diazepam, raising the possibility that endozepines do in fact exist and have a physiological role in preventing seizures.

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Molecular Structure and Physiological Function of Chloride Channels

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The neurobiology of antiepileptic drugs.

TL;DR: The subtle biophysical modifications in channel behaviour that are induced by AEDs are often functionally opposite to defects in channel properties that are caused by mutations associated with epilepsy in humans.
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Epilepsy in Children

TL;DR: Treatment and quality of life have improved because the syndrome-specific efficacy profile of drugs is better known, and there is heightened awareness that compounds with severe cognitive side-effects and heavy polytherapies should be avoided.
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GABAA receptor trafficking and its role in the dynamic modulation of neuronal inhibition

TL;DR: This Review discusses recent progress in the understanding of the dynamic regulation of GABAAR composition, trafficking to and from the neuronal surface, and lateral movement of receptors between synaptic and extrasynaptic locations.
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Childhood absence epilepsy: genes, channels, neurons and networks.

TL;DR: Molecular-genetic analyses of affected human families and experimental models together with neurobiological investigations led to important breakthroughs in the identification of candidate genes and loci, and potential pathophysiological mechanisms for childhood absence epilepsy.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

Thalamocortical oscillations in the sleeping and aroused brain

TL;DR: Analysis of cortical and thalamic networks at many levels, from molecules to single neurons to large neuronal assemblies, with a variety of techniques, is beginning to yield insights into the mechanisms of the generation, modulation, and function of brain oscillations.
Journal ArticleDOI

Incidence of Epilepsy and Unprovoked Seizures in Rochester, Minnesota: 1935–1984

TL;DR: Age‐and gender‐specific incidence trends were similar to those of epilepsy, but a higher proportion of cases was of unknown etiology and was characterized by generalized onset seizures.
Journal Article

[A clinico-encephalographic study of epileptic children using proposal for revised classification of epilepsies and epileptic syndromes].

TL;DR: Results of a clinico-encephalographic study using proposal for classification of epilepsies and epileptic syndromes (1989 ILAE) showed that in 17 cases seizures could not be controlled in 6 of them, and an agreement is necessary for these problems.
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Easy calculations of lod scores and genetic risks on small computers.

TL;DR: A computer program that calculates lod scores and genetic risks for a wide variety of both qualitative and quantitative genetic traits is discussed and an illustration is given of the joint use of a genetic marker, affection status, and quantitative information in counseling situations regarding Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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Faster sequential genetic linkage computations.

TL;DR: A variety of algorithmic improvements are described, which synthesize biological principles with computer science techniques, to effectively restructure the time-consuming computations in genetic linkage analysis.
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