A UF study showed that increasing a certain hormone level in the brain could prevent seizures in epilepsy patients.
The study found that 70 percent of rats injected with the hormone, called somatostatin, did not suffer from generalized seizures, which are the most severe type, said Rabia Zafar, a former postdoctoral associate involved with the study.
The study was published in the February issue of the journal Neuroscience Letters.
People with epilepsy often lack somatostatin. Researchers found that boosting levels of the hormone through injections into the rats' brains led to weaker and shorter seizures without adverse side effects.
"Instead of using a drug that could potentially have side effects, we wanted to use a molecule that is naturally occurring in the brain and use that to treat seizures," Zafar said. Somatostatin is linked to improved cognitive ability, she said.
The study focused on preventive measures, but UF researchers are studying the potential of the hormone as a treatment, Zafar said.
Paul Carney, the study's senior author and chief of UF's Division of Pediatric Neurology, said he expects research developments to eventually allow humans to boost their somatostatin levels in less invasive ways, such as through the veins.
He said the research could help alleviate the need for epilepsy medications that have adverse side effects such as diminished learning ability and weight gain or loss.
"This is a very costly, devastating disease, so there's a real need for better and more effective treatment," Carney said.
