Abstract
One approach to study the genetic and biochemical mechanisms of epilepsy is to undertake family studies involving investigation of candidate biochemical pathways. Using this approach, familial changes in plasma levels of glutamic acid, aspartic acid and taurine have been observed and a genetic basis for these changes has been proposed. However, almost all of these studies have involved patients receiving anticonvulsants thereby raising the possibility that the observed changes could be medication related. To clarify the possible effect of anticonvulsants on neurotransmitter amino acids, we examined plasma levels of these amino acids in patients with and without anticonvulsant therapy. The study group comprised 31 primary generalized epilepsy patients including 24 with and 7 without anticonvulsant treatment. The latter were patients who were investigated either prior to therapy or were not receiving anticonvulsants as they had been seizure free. Amino acid analyses were done on fasting blood samples using an automatic amino acid analyzer. Results showed no significant differences in plasma levels of glutamic acid, aspartic acid and taurine between patients with and without therapy. These findings suggest that plasma neurotransmitter amino acids in epileptic patients may not be altered by anticonvulsants and provide further support to the hypothesis that familial changes in plasma glutamic acid, aspartic acid and taurine in epilepsy have a generic basis.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Janjua, N., Itanoi, T., Ando, M. et al. Epilepsy, genetics, neurotransmitter amino acids and anticonvulsants. Genet Med 1, 50 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1097/00125817-199901000-00037
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00125817-199901000-00037
This article is cited by
-
Bionic Bodies, Posthuman Violence and the Disembodied Criminal Subject
Law and Critique (2021)