NeuroTalk Support Groups - Basal ganglia involvement in temporal lobe epilepsy

Published in Journal Watch Neurology Newsletter April 1, 2008

Quote:

Comment: These findings are consistent with others showing that refractory epilepsy is associated with reduced dopamine content in the basal ganglia. As the authors note, dopamine has been shown to be reduced in patients with ring chromosome 20 epilepsy and in patients with clinically refractory generalized tonic-clonic, absence, or tonic seizures. The initial finding that there was reduced dopamine in patients with ring chromosome 20 epilepsy, a devastating condition, was met with considerable excitement, and it was hoped this would be a clue to the ineffectiveness of medical treatments seen in these patients. However, the current study shows that reduced dopamine content in the basal ganglia is not specific to seizure type or syndrome.

What is the importance of this finding? Although there is no evidence that basal ganglia circuits can generate seizures, studies have shown that the basal ganglia can assert control over seizures. In a previous animal-model study, dopamine ligands injected into different regions of the striatum had varying seizure suppression and aggravation effects. Whether dopamine therapy could be helpful in controlling seizures is unknown. A great deal of work remains, but perhaps the basal ganglia should no longer be solely in the realm of movement disorder specialists.

— Gregory L. Holmes, MD

Dr. Holmes is Chief of Neurology, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH.

the abstract and full study can be found here
Bouilleret V et al. Basal ganglia involvement in temporal lobe epilepsy: A functional and morphologic study. Neurology 2008 Jan 15; 70:177.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract