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Jermack
Member
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Posted: Wed Nov 26th, 2008 18:03 |
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By Martina Fuchs, Reuters
LONDON — A breakdown in a reaction between immune cells and blood vessels in the brain appears to play a key role in epilepsy, Italian researchers said on Monday.
The discovery could mean that some modern antibody-based drugs designed to modify the immune system used in other diseases may one day help fight the debilitating disorder.
A study of mice showed how immune cells sticking to blood vessels in the brain caused inflammation that contributed to epileptic seizures, Gabriela Constantin of the University of Verona in Italy and colleagues reported.
The finding could lead to new treatments to prevent the condition that affects about 1 percent of the general population worldwide, said Constantin, who led the study with Paolo Fabene. Its findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine.
"This mechanism was not previously suspected in epilepsy," she said in a telephone interview.
Epilepsy is considered incurable but medicines can control seizures in most people with the common neurological disorder, although sometimes they can have severe side effects.
Many seizures -- which are caused by excessive electrical activity in the brain -- involve loss of consciousness, with the body twitching or shaking. People who have more than one seizure are considered to have epilepsy.
The researchers found that during a seizure the brain released a chemical that caused the white blood cells, or leukocytes, to stick to blood vessels. The immune cells protect the body from threats such as bacteria, viruses, and infections.
But when these immune cells stuck to the brain blood vessels they caused damage by releasing molecules that caused inflammation and contributed to seizures in mice, Constantin said.
"We found a lot of inflammation in this process in the generation of a new seizure," she said.
Mice that received monoclonal antibodies to block the immune cells from sticking to blood vessels had a dramatic reduction of seizures, in some cases 100 percent, Constantin said.
The treatment worked in a similar way to Elan Corp Plc's multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri and Genentech Inc's Raptiva for psoriasis, she added.
This means these kinds of drugs might also one day be used to treat epilepsy and the findings could also lead to new anti-inflammatory treatments for epilepsy, she said.
"We predict other inflammatory drugs can work and be discovered for use in humans," she said. "We have preliminary data on other inflammatory mechanism."
(Reporting by Martina Fuchs, Editing by Michael Kahn)
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sarcoids diag/biop cough/lymph/tinnitus/tingling/fatigue/brain fog/leg pain/D1,25 54 ng/ml/D25 D2 <4.0 D3 17
ph1 Jun08
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Dr Trevor Marshall
Foundation Staff
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Posted: Wed Nov 26th, 2008 18:06 |
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We have seen grand-mal epileptic seizures as a result of IP due to, in one case, too high an initial dose of phase 2 antibiotics, and in another case, discontinuation of Benicar. So there is little doubt in my mind that epilepsy is a Th1 syndrome.
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Markt9452
Member
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Posted: Wed Nov 26th, 2008 18:12 |
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"This mechanism was not previously suspected in epilepsy,"
I think pretty much anyone familiar with the MP science could have told them it was Th1 inflammation.
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Th1 Lyme 125D20 D2510 Ph1Feb08 Ph2Apr08 daily lite exp covered up NoIRs| MyStory|
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Juanita
Member
| Joined: | Thu May 3rd, 2007 |
| Location: | Alberta Canada |
| Posts: | 529 |
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Posted: Wed Nov 26th, 2008 19:55 |
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I have no doubt either, though mine isn't educated nor scientific, just my own experience. I'm hoping that when well, I'll be a fraction as smart as Dr Marshall. How contented I'll be then. 
I have seizures as MCS reaction to chemical exposures. Sniff it, wait, spaz out type things. And I love how time on the MP not only has brought that under more control, but now I know that they are a warning sign that I'm going too fast with my abx. I adore reading your words, Dr Marshall, that this is what you know to be true. Validates my life experience.
The only sad loss is .... post seizure time is very pleasant. Dreamy, quiet, spaced out, restful. A nice balance to the zaniness that comes from doing abx too hard. I sorta miss the post time. But, the goal is to live calmly forever post MP, so it's all good.
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MCS, CFS, FM, CS, DH, stroke neuro, seizures, skin ca, IBS, eczema, irregular heartbeat| NoIR avoid light and D/ On MP 27 months
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Dr Trevor Marshall
Foundation Staff
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Posted: Wed Nov 26th, 2008 21:27 |
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Juanita,
Your kind words will help make a happy Thanksgiving 
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Caitiegirl
Member
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Posted: Thu Nov 27th, 2008 04:11 |
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Our seizures stopped when we cut D and started Benicar, returned when we started the Modified Phase 2 Ab which deals with Neuro symptoms, then stopped again when we changed antibiotics. I am absolutely sure if we got a big dose of that particular antibiotic she would have a seizure within 12 hrs. But I'm not into torture.
Juanita, you are lucky your time after a seizure was pleasant. For Caitie the period before and after the seizures were horribly painful.
Of everything we will send up thanks for tomorrow, Dr. Marshall, the staff & moderators and the MP will be at the top of the list. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Mindy
Last edited on Thu Nov 27th, 2008 04:13 by Caitiegirl
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Caitie(19) lyme,seizures, myoclonus, dystonia, digestive, chronic headache, mental fog: 10/23/07 25D 36 1,25D 58, 1/18/08 25D 9.9 Cut sun/D 9/26/07 Benicar 10/25/07, NoIRs 10/29/07
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Juanita
Member
| Joined: | Thu May 3rd, 2007 |
| Location: | Alberta Canada |
| Posts: | 529 |
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Posted: Thu Nov 27th, 2008 17:23 |
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Before seizure is painful for me also, so my heart goes out to your Caitie. For me, it feels like I'm being electrocuted while my head is being squeezed in a giant vise and I'm going to pass out any moment. It's a horrifying set of feelings. But the post seizure is often truly peaceful, sometimes filled with contented quiet bliss.
It will be a grand day when Caitie is free of hers.
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MCS, CFS, FM, CS, DH, stroke neuro, seizures, skin ca, IBS, eczema, irregular heartbeat| NoIR avoid light and D/ On MP 27 months
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lionel forbes
Member
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Posted: Fri Jan 2nd, 2009 03:33 |
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| i had a very severe form of temporal lobe epilepsy from 1988 till 1999.it probably was due to sarc., but in 1999,(6 years before starting mp,) i started taking high doses of magnesium,avoiding fly sprays, avoiding soy foods,avoiding food extracts,and the episodes reduced very quickly,and within 12 months,i was seizure-free.i still take 500mg magnesium daily. (fly spray convulses insects to death.soy contains a substance that depletes the body of magnesium and other minerals.extracts are high in glutamate -a powerful convulsant.magnesium calms nerve,heart and muscle tissue) during the mp i did not get any relapses.
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Sarcoidosis/lungs via biopsy 125D28 25D24 Ph1Jan05 Ph2Mar05 Ph3Aug/06 no other meds 25D7.8 (Nov07) NoIRs cover up
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expate
Member
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Posted: Sat Jan 3rd, 2009 02:57 |
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Gee, John Travolta's 16 year old son died of a seizure. So scary. My 18 year old daughter has epilepsy, hence I follow this thread...
 dette
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Hypervitaminosis D 1,25-D 52 pg/ml, 25-D 38 (4/08), 25-D 34 (8/08), 25-D 29 (10/08), 25-D 14 (3/09), 25-D 15: D3=15, D2<4 (6/09): all ng/ml, started Ph1 7/17/08, Ph2 11/4/08, Ph3 2/18/09. Covered up, but no facemask any longer. NoIRs. Home low light.
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expate
Member
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Posted: Sat Jan 3rd, 2009 13:32 |
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Well, more info is coming out on Jett Travolta's death. Here is an article (not particularly scientific) about Kawasaki Syndrome, which Jett had. http://tinyurl.com/86o3sb Hmmm, inflamation... unknown cause. Th1?
dette
Edited to add: And here's a better piece on Kawasaki Syndrome ( http://tinyurl.com/92utwa ) that mentions, "The debate over the exact cause of Kawasaki disease continues, and recent theories have focused on possible bacterial causes and whether children can have a genetic predisposition for infection." Last edited on Sat Jan 3rd, 2009 13:39 by expate
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Hypervitaminosis D 1,25-D 52 pg/ml, 25-D 38 (4/08), 25-D 34 (8/08), 25-D 29 (10/08), 25-D 14 (3/09), 25-D 15: D3=15, D2<4 (6/09): all ng/ml, started Ph1 7/17/08, Ph2 11/4/08, Ph3 2/18/09. Covered up, but no facemask any longer. NoIRs. Home low light.
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Deb Grabetz
Support Team
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Posted: Fri Feb 13th, 2009 00:22 |
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Heh Odette, hope I'm not duplicating your post.
When I first read about Jett Travolta's untimely death and how his disease first showed symptoms the first thing that came to mind was Th1. I knew I had read previously some articles about inflammation also. This seemed to be the most complete in detail.
In 2001, John Travolta told CNN's Larry King that his son had a near brush with death related to the condition.
"I was obsessive about cleaning -- his space being clean, so we constantly had the carpets cleaned. And I think, between him, the fumes and walking around, maybe picking up pieces or something, he got what is rarely a thing to deal with, but it's Kawasaki syndrome," Travolta said of his then-2-year-old son.  Watch Travolta talk about his son's condition »
"It was that the immune system overreacts, because they have almost the equivalent of metallic chemical," Travolta said.
In 2003, Kelly Preston told Montel Williams that when Jett was 2, he became ill with flu symptoms, including fever, rashes and swollen lymph nodes, before a doctor diagnosed him with Kawasaki disease.
Echoing her husband's comments, Preston blamed chemicals in household cleaners and pesticides for attacking her son's immune system, triggering the condition.
A dedicated Scientologist, Preston told Williams that she credited a detoxification program from the writings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard with helping improve her son's health.
Kawasaki disease is characterized by fevers and inflammation in the blood vessels that can be caused by a number of inciting factors, including virus, bacteria or infection, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta said on "Larry King Live."
"You get pretty sick for a few days. In the worst-case scenario, sometimes it can affect the blood vessels of the heart, called the coronary arteries," Gupta said. "Sometimes they can develop aneurysms in it. That's probably the most dangerous thing. But again, this is typically a disease associated with young children. It's typically in Japan, and it's pretty rare."
Gupta said it was rare for teens to display symptoms of the disease, which usually occurs in young children.
"Most of the patients are usually between 2 and 5 years old. Sometimes they get up to age 8. But it's very rare in fact for someone to be in their teens and still have symptoms of Kawasaki. They may have had it earlier in life, but to still have any manifestations of it is unusual," he said.
The causes of Kawasaki disease are unknown. Some scientists think it's caused by an infectious agent, such as a virus. Some studies have noted a link between the disease and carpet cleaning chemicals.
John Travolta gained fame in the 1970s, starring in the television series "Welcome Back, Kotter" and the movies "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease." His career got a boost in 1994 with his second Best Actor Oscar nomination, for his role as a hit man in "Pulp Fiction."
He also wrote and illustrated a 42-page novel for his son called "Propeller One-Way Night Coach," a "fable for the ages" about a young boy whose first trip on an airplane changes his life forever, according to Amazon.com. It was a nod to Travolta's experience as a licensed pilot.
Preston has numerous TV and movie credits, including a supporting role in 1996's "Jerry Maguire."
CNN's Valerie Streit contributed to this report.
All About John Travolta
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Sarcoidosis/lungs, lymph,liver, GI, neuro, D12542, Ph17/07, MPh2 9/07, B12, cover up, NoIRs,return to work after 2 years off- 4/07D2511
5/09 D25<4
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