Summary
Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases in humans, affecting 50 million people worldwide. This brain disorder is characterised by hypersynchronous neural activity resulting in seizures. Abnormal recruitment of cells induces unusual behaviour, sensations or loss of awareness. Epilepsy has a substantial economic effect on health care needs or the loss of productivity in work.
Investigating the role of different neuron types in generating pathological activities is essential for identifying what makes a brain region predisposed to generate epileptic events. Most information regarding the properties of neuronal circuits during epileptic activity comes from animal models. However, recent studies have shown substantial differences when comparing human tissue to animals and epilepsy models to disease.
I aim to utilise a unique multilevel approach to follow how neurons are recruited into epileptic events and categorise them at an unprecedented level of detail in human epileptic patients. I plan to analyse cellular activity in recordings obtained in vivo and characterise human cortical neurons in vitro with simultaneous intra- and extracellular electrophysiology completed with post hoc histology. This will be the first study examining neuronal behaviour and subtypes in the same epileptic patients, both in vivo (before surgery) and in vitro (after surgery). This innovative approach will provide valuable information on the role of the different neuron types in the generation of epileptiform activity.
The fundamental knowledge of the cellular mechanisms of epileptic events specific to humans could help us understand the human disease deeply and thus achieve a significant breakthrough in epilepsy treatment. Enhancement in the diagnostics and cure of epilepsy would considerably decrease the cost of medical care and promise an invaluable improvement in the quality of life on the individual level.
Investigating the role of different neuron types in generating pathological activities is essential for identifying what makes a brain region predisposed to generate epileptic events. Most information regarding the properties of neuronal circuits during epileptic activity comes from animal models. However, recent studies have shown substantial differences when comparing human tissue to animals and epilepsy models to disease.
I aim to utilise a unique multilevel approach to follow how neurons are recruited into epileptic events and categorise them at an unprecedented level of detail in human epileptic patients. I plan to analyse cellular activity in recordings obtained in vivo and characterise human cortical neurons in vitro with simultaneous intra- and extracellular electrophysiology completed with post hoc histology. This will be the first study examining neuronal behaviour and subtypes in the same epileptic patients, both in vivo (before surgery) and in vitro (after surgery). This innovative approach will provide valuable information on the role of the different neuron types in the generation of epileptiform activity.
The fundamental knowledge of the cellular mechanisms of epileptic events specific to humans could help us understand the human disease deeply and thus achieve a significant breakthrough in epilepsy treatment. Enhancement in the diagnostics and cure of epilepsy would considerably decrease the cost of medical care and promise an invaluable improvement in the quality of life on the individual level.
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| Web resources: | https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101109576 |
| Start date: | 01-09-2023 |
| End date: | 31-08-2025 |
| Total budget - Public funding: | - 195 914,00 Euro |
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Original description
Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases in humans, affecting 50 million people worldwide. This brain disorder is characterised by hypersynchronous neural activity resulting in seizures. Abnormal recruitment of cells induces unusual behaviour, sensations or loss of awareness. Epilepsy has a substantial economic effect on health care needs or the loss of productivity in work.Investigating the role of different neuron types in generating pathological activities is essential for identifying what makes a brain region predisposed to generate epileptic events. Most information regarding the properties of neuronal circuits during epileptic activity comes from animal models. However, recent studies have shown substantial differences when comparing human tissue to animals and epilepsy models to disease.
I aim to utilise a unique multilevel approach to follow how neurons are recruited into epileptic events and categorise them at an unprecedented level of detail in human epileptic patients. I plan to analyse cellular activity in recordings obtained in vivo and characterise human cortical neurons in vitro with simultaneous intra- and extracellular electrophysiology completed with post hoc histology. This will be the first study examining neuronal behaviour and subtypes in the same epileptic patients, both in vivo (before surgery) and in vitro (after surgery). This innovative approach will provide valuable information on the role of the different neuron types in the generation of epileptiform activity.
The fundamental knowledge of the cellular mechanisms of epileptic events specific to humans could help us understand the human disease deeply and thus achieve a significant breakthrough in epilepsy treatment. Enhancement in the diagnostics and cure of epilepsy would considerably decrease the cost of medical care and promise an invaluable improvement in the quality of life on the individual level.
Status
SIGNEDCall topic
HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01-01Update Date
31-07-2023
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