Epilepsy Research´s Profile image

Epilepsy Research

Our goal is to
a) understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of epileptogenesis after traumatic brain injury,
b) to develop interventions to prevent epileptogenesis or alleviate the disease severity.

Epilepsy is a serious and common chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, which are caused by abnormal synchronized neuronal discharges. As many as 6 million people in Europe currently have active epilepsy. This has major implications not only for health, but also for independent living, education and employment, mobility, and personal relationships.

Our research goal is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of epileptogenesis after traumatic brain injury and  to develop interventions to prevent epileptogenesis or alleviate the disease severity.

Research interest

  • to develop clinically relevant models of acquired epilepsy
  • to understand the molecular mechanisms of acquired epileptogenesis
  • to identify novel treatment targets for antiepileptogenesis and disease modification
  • to find biomarkers for epileptogenesis and functional outcome after brain injury

Main achievements

  • development of new clinically relevant models of epilepsy, in which epileptogenic process is initiated by status epilepticus or traumatic brain injury
  • the first demonstration of disease-modification of the epileptogenic process by pharmacotherapy
  • identification of mechanisms of molecular changes during epileptogenesis (ongoing)
  • multimodal MRI imaging of neuronal tissue changes during epileptogenic process (together with Prof. Olli Gröhn’s research group at A.I. Virtanen Institute )

Methodological approach

Most of the research is done in experimental models of epilepsy. We also examine tissue from patients, work we do in collaboration with the Pathology and Neurosurgery Departments of the University Hospital. In our studies we apply various methods that range from classical neuroanatomy, molecular analysis (gene array, proteomics, bioinformatics), single-cell electrophysiology to behavior and magnetic resonance imaging of epileptic process.

Keywords

animal models biomarkers epilepsy epileptogenesis in vitro models MRI therapy traumatic brain injury (TBI) video-EEG monitoring

Group members - UEF

Other group members

  • Johanna Hiltunen
    Johanna Hiltunen jokhiltu@student.uef.fi
  • Tomi Paananen
    Tomi Paananen tomi.paananen@uef.fi

Cooperation partners

  • We have an extensive program of collaboration with other research groups at the A.I. Virtanen Institute, Kuopio University Hospital, Turku University Hospital, and neuroscientists in the USA, Italy, Austria, Germany, France, UK, Poland, Australia, and the Czech Republic. In addition we collaborate with multinational pharmaceutical companies to develop new treatments for epilepsy.

Publications