“Mechanisms and Treatment of Distinguished Lecture Series Status Epilepticus” Jaideep Kapur, MBBS, PhD   Professor of Neurology Director of UVA Brain Institute University of Virginia, Charlottesville Center for Translational Neuroscience Distinguished Lecture Series Tuesday, March 27, 12 noon Rayford Auditorium, Biomed II Bldg.

Status epilepticus is a neurological emergency characterized by prolonged self-sustaining seizures. Ongoing generalized tonic-clonic seizure activity can cause cardiorespiratory compromise. During status epilepticus there is dynamic brain plasticity reflected in evolution of clinical symptoms, EEG, and drug responsiveness. It has been long established that GABA-A receptor-mediated inhibition is compromised during status epilepticus and this is associated with development of benzodiazepine resistance. More recent studies demonstrate that seizures can enhance excitatory transmission allowing their spread from the hippocampus. Advances in development of genetically modified mice that allow visualization of activated neurons and clarity techniques provide new insights into the pathways of spread of seizures from the hippocampus to neocortical structures. This spread can be blocked by targeting glutamatergic receptors. Finally I will discuss an ongoing clinical trial for the treatment of benzodiazepine refractory status epilepticus.