Background

Epilepsy is a chronic brain condition that affects around 70 million people worldwide. While current anti-seizure medications work well for many, about one in three people with epilepsy don’t respond to these treatments. This highlights the urgent need for new treatment approaches that work in different ways to existing anti-seizure medications.

Research

Brain cells release chemical signals to communicate—one of these is ATP, a molecule better known for its role in providing energy, which can also be released during seizures. Once released, ATP binds to specific cell membrane receptors which, when blocked, have been shown to alter seizures and even epilepsy development. In our study, we investigated whether changing the mechanisms which contribute to ATP release could suppress seizures. We found that blocking a specific ATP-release channel called CALHM1 made seizures worse. This suggests that instead of blocking it, boosting CALHM1 activity might help protect against seizures. 

Potential Impact

Our findings highlight CALHM1 as a previously unrecognised contributor to how seizures start and develop, with evidence suggesting it may play a protective role in the brain. This discovery opens the door to new and potentially more effective therapies that target CALHM1—particularly for people living with drug-resistant epilepsy.