Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Elissa Yozawitz
Summary: New recommendations and expanded genetic testing have changed the classification and treatment of neonatal seizures. This review highlights the importance of EEG monitoring and discusses treatment and prognosis.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Marco Ledri, My Andersson, Jenny Wickham, Merab Kokaia
Summary: The advent of optogenetic tools has revolutionized our understanding of the brain by offering precise manipulation of neurons with temporal precision. In epilepsy research, these tools have played a crucial role in understanding seizure generation and exploring therapeutic strategies. They have provided insights into the initiation of seizures, interactions between different brain regions, and potential for real-time control of seizure activity.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raffaele Falsaperla, Giovanna Vitaliti, Monica Sciacca, Lucia Tardino, Simona Domenica Marino, Silvia Marino, Carla Moscheo, Mariaclaudia Meli, Maria Concetta Vitaliti, Massimo Barbagallo, Vita Antonella Di Stefano, Marco Andrea Nicola Saporito, Martino Ruggieri
Summary: This study investigated the access to pediatric emergency units by neonates with neurological conditions in three Italian hospitals. The findings showed a decrease in pediatric accesses overall, but a stable proportion of neonates accessing the emergency unit for neurological diseases. Cyanosis and apnea were the most frequent neurologic conditions observed. The study highlights the need for appropriate training to avoid unnecessary tests and to ensure early identification of potentially serious conditions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Fiona Lynch, Trisha Prentice, Lynn Gillam, Zornitza Stark, Christopher Gyngell
Summary: The clinical utility of rapid genome sequencing (rGS) in critically ill infants has been demonstrated consistently. However, informed decision making regarding rGS in the NICU poses challenges due to the complexity of information and heightened emotions of parents.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Srinivasarao Repudi, Irina Kustanovich, Sara Abu-Swai, Shani Stern, Rami Aqeilan
Summary: WWOX is a neural gene involved in regulating homeostasis in the central nervous system. Gene therapy using AAV-SynI-WWOX shows promise in rescuing symptoms in Wwox-null mice, potentially offering a treatment for WOREE and SCAR12.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Yehezkel Ben-Ari, Eric Delpire
Summary: The study shows that phenobarbital and midazolam can reduce neonatal seizures following birth asphyxia, but their effectiveness is dependent on the timing of administration; in contrast, the chloride importer antagonist has no effect on reducing seizures. However, the efficacy of drugs on seizures may be influenced by recurrent seizures.
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Kevin J. Staley
Summary: A recent Phase II trial showed that bumetanide is effective and safe as an adjunctive treatment for neonatal seizures. However, a larger multi-institutional trial is necessary to determine its efficacy accurately.
Review
Pediatrics
Konrad Kaminiow, Sylwia Kozak, Justyna Paprocka
Summary: Seizures in newborns, most commonly occurring during the neonatal period, can be caused by severe disorders of the central nervous system or immaturity of the infant's brain, with factors such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and CNS infections. Treatment and prognosis vary depending on the underlying cause of the seizures.
Review
Cell Biology
Rachel Howard, Runci Li, Kelly Harvey-Jones, Vinita Verma, Frederic Lange, Geraldine Boylan, Ilias Tachtsidis, Subhabrata Mitra
Summary: Neonatal seizures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Optical monitoring techniques such as NIRS and broadband NIRS have shown promise in providing real-time, non-invasive monitoring of cerebral metabolism and hemodynamics. A systematic review of optical biomarkers found clear changes in cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism during the pre-ictal, ictal, and post-ictal phases of neonatal seizures. More research is needed to determine whether NIRS-based methods can be used in real-time at the cot-side to provide pathophysiological data during neonatal seizures.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Andreas Brunklaus, Eduardo Perez-Palma, Ismael Ghanty, Ji Xinge, Eva Brilstra, Berten Ceulemans, Nicole Chemaly, Iris de Lange, Christel Depienne, Renzo Guerrini, Davide Mei, Rikke S. Moller, Rima Nabbout, Brigid M. Regan, Amy L. Schneider, Ingrid E. Scheffer, An-Sofie Schoonjans, Joseph D. Symonds, Sarah Weckhuysen, Michael W. Kattan, Sameer M. Zuberi, Dennis Lal
Summary: This study developed and validated a prediction model using clinical and genetic biomarkers for early diagnosis of SCN1A-related epilepsies. The model accurately distinguishes the risk of developing Dravet syndrome from GEFS+ phenotypes, outperforming other models.
Article
Medical Informatics
Jillian L. McKee, Michael C. Kaufman, Alexander K. Gonzalez, Mark P. Fitzgerald, Shavonne L. Massey, France Fung, Sudha K. Kessler, Stephanie Witzman, Nicholas S. Abend, Ingo Helbig
Summary: Using standardized EEG reports, we developed seizure prediction models for high-risk neonates, which can help in directing resource-intensive continuous EEG monitoring. This study highlights the importance of accurate seizure prediction in allocating limited EEG resources.
LANCET DIGITAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Suraj S. Vasanthi, Nikhil S. Rao, Manikandan Samidurai, Nyzil Massey, Christina Meyer, Meghan Gage, Mihir Kharate, Aida Almanza, Logan Wachter, Candide Mafuta, Lily Trevino, Adriana M. Carlo, Elijah Bryant, Brooke E. Corson, Morgan Wohlgemuth, Morgan Ostrander, Lucas Showman, Chong Wang, Thimmasettappa Thippeswamy
Summary: A glial-targeted iNOS inhibitor, 1400W, has been shown to mitigate brain changes induced by acute exposure to OPNA nerve agents. It reduces motor and cognitive dysfunction, nitrooxidative stress, proinflammatory cytokines, epileptiform spikes, reactive gliosis, and neurodegeneration in a rat GD model.
JOURNAL OF NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Emma Macdonald-Laurs, Cynthia Sharpe, Mark Nespeca, Neggy Rismanchi, Jeffrey J. Gold, Rachel Kuperman, Sonya Wang, Ngoc Minh D. Lee, David J. Michelson, Richard Haas, Peter Reed, Suzanne L. Davis
Summary: The first hour of cEEG in at-risk neonates can predict subsequent seizures, aiding in the identification of high-risk newborns.
ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD-FETAL AND NEONATAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Darshana Z. Narayanan, Daniel Y. Takahashi, Lauren M. Kelly, Sabina Hlavaty, Junzhou Huang, Asif A. Ghazanfar
Summary: Human and non-human primates produce rhythmical sounds as soon as they are born to solicit the attention of caregivers. This study shows, through dense and longitudinal sampling of fetal head and orofacial movements in marmoset monkeys, that the orofacial movements necessary for producing rhythmical vocalizations differentiate from larger movement patterns and that signature features of marmoset infant contact calls emerge prenatally as a distinct pattern of orofacial movements.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Brennan J. Sullivan, Shilpa D. Kadam
Summary: BDNF plays a critical role in neuronal development and synapse formation, with excessive signaling potentially contributing to refractory neonatal seizures.
PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY
(2021)