Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4rdrl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-25T15:48:50.256Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 6 - Centre of the Electrical Storm

MicroRNAs and Epilepsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  aN Invalid Date NaN

David C. Henshall
Affiliation:
RCSI University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Dublin
Get access

Summary

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting people of all ages. This chapter focusses on what has been learnt about the microRNA system in this important disease. Starting with an overview of epilepsy, it addresses what causes seizures to occur and some of the underlying mechanisms, including gene mutations and brain injuries. It explores how and which microRNAs drive complex gene changes that underpin but also oppose the enduring hyperexcitability of the epileptic brain. This includes by regulating amounts of neurotransmitter receptors, structural components of synapses, metabolic processes and inflammation. It also covers some of the earliest studies linking microRNAs to epilepsy as well as recent large-scale efforts to map every microRNA and its target in the epileptic brain. Finally, it highlights ways to model epilepsies and use of experimental tools such as antisense oligonucleotides to understand the contributions of individual microRNAs. Collectively, these studies reveal how microRNAs contribute to the molecular landscape that underlies this disease and offer the exciting possibility of targeting microRNAs to treat genetic and acquired epilepsies.

Type
Chapter
Information
Fine-Tuning Life
A Guide to MicroRNAs, Your Genome's Master Regulators
, pp. 140 - 174
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×