2024 Seed Grant
Robert R. Parrish, Ph.D.
Brigham Young University
Seizures can significantly impact the lives of those who suffer from them, causing considerable stress, feelings of hopelessness, and depression in patients. Even in their mildest form, seizures can alter someone’s ability to drive and perform other daily tasks we take for granted. In the most severe cases, seizures can result in death. Fortunately, most seizures end on their own; however, some do not. A seizure that does not end on its own is referred to as status epilepticus and it is a major medical emergency. We do not fully understand why some seizures stop while others do not. Furthermore, we know very little about the mechanisms that aid in ending seizures. We are exploring a brain mechanism called spreading depolarization, which could be an important trigger for ending seizures. Additionally, we are investigating how a key ion (chloride) in the brain might trigger spreading depolarizations to end seizures and how this information can help us stop seizures in people experiencing status epilepticus, the seizures that do not end on their own. While this research aims to clarify key mechanisms in the ending of seizures, it will also enhance our understanding of how some migraines are induced and what leads to concussions, as spreading depolarizations are thought to underlie both conditions.
