Reduction of tau protein improves symptoms in model of severe childhood epilepsy
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 13:32
in Health & Medicine
Reducing brain levels of the protein tau effectively blocks the development of disease in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome, a severe intractable form of childhood epilepsy, researchers report. Dravet syndrome is one of the most challenging forms of childhood epilepsy, resulting from a specific genetic mutation that affects sodium channels in the brain. Frequent, relentless seizures are accompanied by cognitive impairments and behavioral problems similar to autism, and up to 20% of patients succumb to sudden death.