New strains of mice for epilepsy genetics research obtained at UNN
Experimental models of laboratory animals with a genetic predisposition to epilepsy are currently being used to develop new approaches to diagnosing and treating the pathology. A study performed by scientists from the Laboratory of Brain Development Genetics at the UNN Research Institute of Neuroscience has already demonstrated some new features of neuronal excitation and inhibition processes in epilepsy.
“The level of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which regulates nerve cell excitability, changes dramatically in the epileptic brain, and its dynamics become much more complex. This goes beyond the conventional “more/fewer GABA” paradigm, as genetic and morphological rearrangements occur in the epileptic brain that are not limited to the balance between excitation and inhibition. Using new mutant mouse strains, we are now studying these processes. Understanding what kind of pre- and postsynaptic changes occur in the regulation of the inhibition system will further facilitate the development of new anticonvulsant drugs,” commented Alexei Babaev, Head of the Centre for Genetic Collections of Laboratory Animals at Lobachevsky University.
To develop new strains of experimental animals, scientists used the classical method of audiogenic testing. When exposed to sound, the mice exhibited seizure activity. Thanks to this method, an extensive screening was carried out and three mouse lineages with characteristics most promising for the study of epilepsy were identified.
The description of the genetic features of the obtained individual animals provides insights into the cognitive aspects associated with epilepsy. The researchers tested the functional state of the nervous system, the activity of neurons and synapses, memory and learning ability of the laboratory animals.
“Studies to identify genetic disorders, including the identification of mutations in genes that predispose the brain to seizure activity, are now very relevant, because they may allow us to find effective methods for diagnosis and choice of treatment for this pathology,” said the initiator of the study, the world's leading expert in the field of genetics of brain development, Professor Victor Tarabykin.
The research was conducted under the state assignment of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation No. FSWR-2023-0029. The results were published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
