Home•Our Research•Publications•P2X7R antagonism suppresses long-lasting brain hyperexcitability following traumatic brain injury in mice.

P2X7R antagonism suppresses long-lasting brain hyperexcitability following traumatic brain injury in mice.

Thematic Area:
Therapeutics
Disease Area:
EpilepsyTraumatic Brain Injury
Collaborators:
Academic
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Background

Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a significant long-term consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI), characterized by recurrent seizures. Currently up to 30% of PTE patients do not respond to existing medications, and no treatments are currently available to predict or prevent the development of epilepsy following traumatic brain injury.

Research

P2X7 is a receptor highly expressed in immune cells within the brain and plays a key role in neuroinflammation. Our research demonstrates that blocking the P2X7 receptor after TBI provides strong anti-epileptic effects. Additionally, P2X7 receptor-targeted PET imaging shows potential as a diagnostic tool to identify individuals at higher risk of developing epilepsy after a TBI.

Potential Impact

This research offers a new method to identify who will develop epilepsy after TBI and a potential therapeutic target. These findings could lead to earlier interventions and more effective treatment strategies for PTE.

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