LISBON, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese researchers have identified a molecular mechanism that helps explain how a naturally occurring brain protein contributes to the development of epilepsy, a finding that could help guide future strategies to slow the progression of the disease.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology of the University of Coimbra (CNC-UC) and the Center for Innovation in Biotechnology and Biomedicine (CiBB). The findings were published in the journal Brain.
The researchers found that elevated levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that regulates communication between neurons and supports the brain's plasticity underlying learning and memory, promote epileptic activity, the University of Coimbra said on Wednesday.
Using an animal model of epilepsy, the team showed that BDNF increases the number of glutamate receptors at synapses, where neurons communicate. This makes nerve cells more responsive to signals from neighboring neurons, strengthening communication between them and triggering the excessive, synchronized electrical activity characteristic of epileptic seizures.
"This work allows us to better understand how BDNF intensifies communication between neurons and identifies a mechanism that contributes to brain hyperactivity, which triggers epileptic seizures," said lead researcher Carlos B. Duarte.
The study also identified the cellular signaling pathway responsible for this process. When the pathway was blocked, the changes induced by BDNF no longer occurred, confirming its role in neuronal hyperexcitability.
According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy affects around 50 million people worldwide. The researchers said the newly identified mechanism may also be relevant to other neurological disorders involving abnormal communication between neurons, including conditions that affect learning and memory. ■
