Presynaptic ion channel dysfunction in the forebrain

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Epilepsy and migraine are common and frequently disabling diseases that often do not respond to available medication. They both show a strong genetic influence, and most of the genes that have been identified to cause epilepsy or migraine encode proteins that mediate the flux of charged ions across the membranes of neurons. How abnormalities of these proteins cause episodic disturbances of brain function is not known. Although some progress has been made in documenting whether individual mutations increase or decrease the flux of ions, and under which conditions, the consequences for neuronal firing and signalling among neurons remain incompletely understood. Our work addresses these questions by applying advanced optical and electrical measurements to individual neurons in the brain.