Epilepsy: research on cerebral homeostasis
How the brain reacts to internal and external stimuli and what mechanisms can prevent or reduce seizures
Epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, is a major challenge for the scientific community. In Italy, the Mnesys project, a national initiative dedicated to brain research, is making significant progress in understanding and treating this disease.
Understanding the brain to cure epilepsy
“Our aim is to unravel the mysteries of the brain and understand the mechanisms that trigger epileptic seizures,” explains Maurizio Taglialatela, a pharmacologist at the Federico II University in Naples and coordinator of one of the Mnesys projects. “By studying cerebral homeostasis, the internal balance of the brain, we can identify the weak points that make some people more susceptible to seizures”.
Researchers are investigating how the brain reacts to internal and external stimuli, trying to understand what mechanisms can be enhanced to prevent or reduce the frequency of seizures. ‘ It’s like we want to set a Swiss clock,” continues Taglialatela. “Each gear has its own function and if one of them does not work properly, the clock freezes. We want to understand what gears are broken in epilepsy and how to fix them”.
Close collaboration with patients
Collaboration with patients and their families is a key aspect of research. ‘ People with epilepsy are our first allies,” says Mr. Taglialatela. “They provide us with valuable information about their disease, help us to better understand the symptoms and assess the effectiveness of new treatments”.
The creation of patient associations plays a crucial role in this process. These associations provide a reference point for people living with rare diseases, enabling them to share experiences, information and actively participate in scientific research.
New drugs and personalised therapies
Thanks to scientific research, new perspectives are opening up for the treatment of epilepsy. Researchers are working on developing more effective drugs with fewer side effects, as well as therapies tailored to each patient’s genetic characteristics.
“The aim is to identify genes involved in epilepsy and develop drugs that can act on these specific genes,” says Mr. Taglialatela, “so we can offer patients more targeted treatments with a better chance of success”.
The future of epilepsy: new therapies
The prospects for the future are very promising. Thanks to advances in research, new therapies are expected to be available in the coming years that can significantly improve the quality of life for people with epilepsy.