Review
Cell Biology
You Yi, Chen Zhong, Hu Wei-wei
Summary: Febrile seizures (FSs) are convulsions caused by a sudden increase in body temperature during a fever. They are common in young children, with a prevalence of up to 4% in children aged 6 months to 5 years old. FSs can have detrimental effects on neurodevelopment, leading to ADHD, increased susceptibility to epilepsy, hippocampal sclerosis, and cognitive decline in adulthood. However, the underlying mechanisms of these developmental abnormalities and disease occurrence have not yet been determined.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ciria C. Hernandez, Yanwen Shen, Ningning Hu, Wangzhen Shen, Vinodh Narayanan, Keri Ramsey, Wen He, Liping Zou, Robert L. Macdonald
Summary: Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common form of epilepsy in children between six months and five years of age. Most of the variants associated with FS are found in the GABA(A) receptor gamma 2 subunit (GABRG2), leading to the loss of receptor function and negative impact on receptor biogenesis. Variants in GABRG2 result in a spectrum of phenotypic severity, ranging from asymptomatic to Dravet syndrome individuals, highlighting the relationship between the occurrence of variants and disease severity.
Article
Neurosciences
Yang Tian, Qiong-Xiang Zhai, Xiao-Jing Li, Zhen Shi, Chuan-Fang Cheng, Cui-Xia Fan, Bin Tang, Ying Zhang, Yun-Yan He, Wen-Bin Li, Sheng Luo, Chi Hou, Wen-Xiong Chen, Wei-Ping Liao, Jie Wang
Summary: This study identified ATP6V0C gene mutations associated with febrile seizures (FS) and epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (EFS+). These mutations may affect the protein function and lead to afebrile seizures. Screening for ATP6V0C mutations can differentiate patients from other related diseases such as Dravet syndrome.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Jia Li, Si-Mei Lin, Jing-Da Qiao, Xiao-Rong Liu, Jie Wang, Mi Jiang, Jing Zhang, Min Zhong, Xu-Qin Chen, Jing Zhu, Na He, Tao Su, Yi-Wu Shi, Yong-Hong Yi, Wei-Ping Liao
Summary: This study identified CELSR3 gene variants potentially associated with FS/EFS+, leading to impaired protein function, but patients had favorable outcomes without neurodevelopmental disorders.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Alberto M. Cappellari, Martina F. Cucchetti, Gianfranco Alicandro, Dario Consonni, Emanuela Laicini, Laura Dell'Era, Emilio F. Fossali
Summary: This study investigated the occurrence of complex seizures in children presenting with febrile seizures (FS) and those with convulsions associated with mild gastroenteritis (CwG) and fever. The results showed that children with febrile CwG had a higher rate of complex seizures.
PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Ioannis Kopsidas, Foteini Eleni Dasoula, Eleni Kourkouni, Adamantia Krepi, Harry A. Mystakelis, Nikos Spyridis, George Vartzelis
Summary: This study investigated the knowledge, principles, and practices concerning the management of children with febrile seizures among pediatricians in Greece. The findings showed that some pediatricians in Greece use outdated and ineffective practices for the management of febrile seizures.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Lin Yang, Jianmei Tian
Summary: Febrile seizure is a neuro-system disorder in children, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. This study investigates the potential differences in intestinal flora and metabolomics between healthy children and those with febrile seizures. The study identifies potential febrile seizure markers and essential metabolic pathways, and suggests that adjusting the balance of intestinal flora may be effective for preventing and treating febrile seizures.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tatyana Y. Postnikova, Alexandra Griflyuk, Dmitry Amakhin, Anna A. Kovalenko, Elena B. Soboleva, Olga E. Zubareva, Aleksey Zaitsev
Summary: Febrile seizures in early life can cause slight morphological disturbances in the hippocampus, but lead to significant functional impairments, particularly in the activity of NMDARs and LTP in synapses.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Laura Gould, Victoria Delavale, Caitlin Plovnick, Thomas Wisniewski, Orrin Devinsky
Summary: Febrile seizures are associated with an increased risk of epilepsy and rare cases of sudden unexplained death. Mortality rates varied in different studies, with some reporting no deaths and others identifying a significant percentage of deaths associated with febrile seizures. Minor hippocampal histopathological anomalies were common in sudden deaths with or without a history of febrile seizures. Most electroencephalography (EEG) studies were normal, and neuroimaging studies suggested increased right hippocampal volumes. Longer-term prospective studies are needed to fully understand the outcomes of simple or brief complex febrile seizures.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jun Kubota, Norimichi Higurashi, Daishi Hirano, Shiro Okabe, Kento Yamauchi, Rena Kimura, Haruka Numata, Takayuki Suzuki, Daisuke Kakegawa, Akira Ito, Shin-ichiro Hamano
Summary: This study confirmed that body temperature is a predictor of recurrent febrile seizures, with an optimal cut-off body temperature of 39.2 degrees Celsius. Low C-reactive protein and blood glucose levels may also be predictors of recurrent febrile seizures, but further confirmation is needed in prospective multicenter studies.
BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tongfei A. Wang, Chao Chen, Fen Huang, Shengjie Feng, Jason Tien, Joao M. Braz, Allan I. Basbaum, Yuh Nung Jan, Lily Yeh Jan
Summary: The loss of TMEM16C function in central neurons leads to impaired thermoregulation in rodent pups, increasing susceptibility to hyperthermia-induced seizures. The findings highlight the importance of homeostatic thermoregulation in fever-induced seizures.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Peng Zhou, Heng Meng, Xiaoyu Liang, Xiaoyun Lei, Jingwen Zhang, Wenjun Bian, Na He, Zhijian Lin, Xingwang Song, Weiwen Zhu, Bin Hu, Bingmei Li, Limin Yan, Bin Tang, Tao Su, Hankui Liu, Yong Mao, Qiongxiang Zhai, Yonghong Yi
Summary: ADGRV1 gene mutations are associated with epilepsy and audio-visual disorders. This study identified ADGRV1 variants in a cohort of patients with epilepsy and febrile seizure, and analyzed the impact of these variants. The results showed that ADGRV1 variants are associated with mild epilepsy and favorable responses to antiepileptic drugs.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Mengmeng Du, Jiajia Li, Wu Ying, Yuguo Yu
Summary: Febrile seizures in young children may be caused by temperature-dependent functional disorders of the Kir4.1 channel in astrocytes, which play a critical role in modulating neuronal firing dynamics under different temperature conditions.
COGNITIVE NEURODYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Pu Xu, Xuelian Chen, Jianguo Zhou, Wenhao Zhou, Laishuan Wang
Summary: The study aims to explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis of febrile seizure in children with COVID-19. By comparing the clinical features such as sex, age, symptoms, and COVID-19 severity between children with and without febrile seizures, it was found that febrile seizure may be the primary neurological manifestation of COVID-19 in children and is not associated with severe illness.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Vidya R. Raghavan, John J. Porter, Mark Neuman, Todd W. Lyons
Summary: The study found that trends in evaluation and management of children with simple febrile seizures changed over time, with diagnostic testing, hospital admission, and costs decreasing without a corresponding increase in delayed diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. These data indicate that most children with simple febrile seizures can be safely managed without requiring lumbar puncture or other diagnostic testing.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Claude Steriade, Michael R. Sperling, Bree DiVentura, Meryl Lozano, Renee A. Shellhaas, Sudha Kilaru Kessler, Dennis Dlugos, Jacqueline French
Summary: This article presents a pragmatic seizure classification based on the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) scheme, designed for use in clinical trials. It also proposes simplifications to the current scheme for the intended use of investigators, industry sponsors, and regulatory agencies.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Robert S. Fisher, Jayant N. Acharya, Fiona Mitchell Baumer, Jacqueline A. French, Pasquale Parisi, Jessica H. Solodar, Jerzy P. Szaflarski, Liu Lin Thio, Benjamin Tolchin, Arnold J. Wilkins, Dorothee Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenite
Summary: Light stimulation can trigger seizures in certain individuals, especially in young people and those with specific forms of epilepsy. Photosensitive seizures can coexist with spontaneous seizures and have a genetic component. The exact mechanisms of photosensitive seizures are still unclear, but specific triggers such as flashes or color changes can provoke seizures. Prevention strategies include avoiding triggers, covering one eye, keeping a safe distance from screens, reducing contrast, and taking certain antiseizure medications. Visually-induced seizures pose significant public health risks, requiring ongoing scientific research, regulation, and public education.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jacqueline French, Victor Biton, Hina Dave, Kamil Detyniecki, Michael A. Gelfand, Hui Gong, Kore Liow, Terence J. O'Brien, Ahmed Sadek, Bree DiVentura, Brittany Reich, Jouko Isojarvi
Summary: This study demonstrated that Staccato alprazolam administered via a breath-actuated device can rapidly terminate epileptic seizures in hospitalized patients. The next step is to conduct a Phase 3 confirmatory study to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of Staccato alprazolam for seizure termination in an outpatient setting.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Wesley T. Kerr, Stephane Auvin, Serge Van der Geyten, Christopher Kenney, Gerald Novak, Nathan B. Fountain, Caitlin Grzeskowiak, Jacqueline A. French
Summary: Well-designed placebo-controlled clinical trials are crucial for the development of new epilepsy treatments, but the design has remained unchanged for decades. Concerns have been raised by patients, clinicians, regulators, and innovators about the challenges of recruiting for trials, partly due to the static design of maintaining participants on add-on placebo for long periods of time when there are more therapy options available. Time-to-event trials, although having potential limitations, have been suggested as a promising mechanism to make trials more patient-friendly and reduce placebo exposure.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Wesley T. Kerr, Hai Chen, Mariana Figuera Losada, Christopher Cheng, Tiffany Liu, Jaqueline French
Summary: Selection criteria for clinical trials in medication-resistant epilepsy aim to ensure safety and limit variability, but it is increasingly difficult to recruit subjects. This study investigated the impact of these criteria on recruitment at an academic epilepsy center. The majority of patients were excluded due to insufficient seizure frequency. A small proportion of patients were eligible based on common criteria, but may not be representative of the overall population.
Article
Clinical Neurology
P. Emanuela Voinescu, McKenna Kelly, Jacqueline A. French, Cynthia Harden, Anne Davis, Connie Lau, Alexa Ehlert, Stephanie Allien, Emma Osterhaus, Sarah Barnard, Rishabh Jain, Page B. Pennell
Summary: This study examined the occurrence and distribution of catamenial epilepsy patterns in women with epilepsy not receiving hormonal therapies. The results showed that out of 89 women enrolled, 23 were eligible for analysis, with 12 meeting criteria for catamenial epilepsy. App-based tracking proved to be a useful tool in determining catamenial patterns.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Wesley T. T. Kerr, Advith S. S. Reddy, Sung Hyun Seo, Neo Kok, William C. C. Stacey, John M. M. Stern, Page B. B. Pennell, Jacqueline A. A. French
Summary: This study aimed to assess the changes in recruitment and retention challenges in clinical trials for focal onset epilepsy over time. A systematic analysis of randomized clinical trials was conducted to evaluate changes in participant numbers, trial sites, and countries since 1990. The study also analyzed the proportion of participants who completed each trial phase and the reasons for early trial exit. The findings highlight increasing challenges with participant recruitment and retention, as well as an increasing placebo response, emphasizing the need for changes in clinical trial design.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jacob Pellinen, Heath Pardoe, Stefan Sillau, Sarah Barnard, Jacqueline French, Robert Knowlton, Daniel D. Lowenstein, Gregory Cascino, Simon Glynn, Graeme Jackson, Jerzy Szaflarski, Chris J. Morrison, Kimford Meador, Ruben Kuzniecky, Human Epilepsy Project Investigators
Summary: This study found that people with newly treated focal epilepsy and learning difficulties have lower brain tissue volume to intracranial volume, suggesting that developmental factors are an important marker of neuroanatomical changes in focal epilepsy. There were also independent associations between brain volume, age, and sex in the study population.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jonah Fox, Sarah Barnard, Shruti H. Agashe, Manisha G. Holmes, Barry Gidal, Pavel Klein, Bassel W. Abou-Khalil, Jacqueline French, Human Epilepsy Project Investigators
Summary: More than one third of patients with focal epilepsy remain on monotherapy with their initial prescribed ASM. Approximately three out of five patients transition to monotherapy with another ASM, while approximately two out of five end up on polytherapy. Patients stay on lamotrigine for a longer duration compared to levetiracetam when it is prescribed as the initial monotherapy.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jessica M. Barry, Jacqueline A. French, Page B. Pennell, Ashwin Karanam, Cynthia L. Harden, Angela K. Birnbaum
Summary: This study aims to investigate the complexity of maintaining seizure control with lamotrigine during pregnancy and evaluate the potential risks of different dosing scenarios. The results suggest that some dosing regimens may increase seizure risk or toxicity. Early clearance changes during pregnancy may require therapeutic drug monitoring to determine whether the patient belongs to the low clearance change group or the high clearance change group.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Levente Hadady, Michael R. Sperling, Juan Luis Alcala-Zermeno, Jacqueline A. French, Patricia Dugan, Lara Jehi, Daniel Fabo, Peter Klivenyi, Guido Rubboli, Sandor Beniczky
Summary: This study conducted external validation of previously published epilepsy surgery prediction tools using a large independent multicenter dataset and found that these tools can effectively stratify patients for surgery and freedom from disabling seizures.
Meeting Abstract
Clinical Neurology
C. Kenney, J. French, R. Porter, E. Perucca, M. Brodie, M. Rogawski, C. Harden, C. Luzon Rosenblut, J. Qian, J. Leung, G. Beatch
Meeting Abstract
Clinical Neurology
J. French, R. Porter, E. Perucca, M. Brodie, M. Rogawski, S. Pimstone, E. Aycardi, C. Harden, Y. Xu, C. Luzon Rosenblut, C. Kenney, G. Beatch
Article
Clinical Neurology
Patricia Dugan, Elizabeth Carroll, Jennifer Thorpe, Nathalie Jette, Parul Agarwal, Samantha Ashby, Jane Hanna, Jacqueline French, Orrin Devinsky, Arjune Sen
Summary: The study aimed to understand the impact of COVID-19 on people with epilepsy (PWE) and their caregivers in the US. Findings showed diverse effects, including changes in health, mental health issues, difficulties in medication management, and variations in discussions with healthcare providers between PWE and caregivers. Additionally, post-vaccine period saw more adverse impacts on health, particularly on mental health, compared to pre-vaccine period, highlighting the need for increased emotional support and effective counseling for PWE during the pandemic.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jacqueline A. French, Robert T. Wechsler, Eugen Trinka, Christian Brandt, Terence J. O'Brien, Anna Patten, Alejandro Salah, Manoj Malhotra
Summary: The study assesses the long-term efficacy and safety of perampanel as an adjunctive treatment for patients with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. The results show that perampanel can maintain seizure control for at least 2 years, with a high retention rate and a common daily dose range of 4-8 mg. This study demonstrates that perampanel is a viable long-term treatment option for patients aged 12 years and above with GTC seizures.
