CHARACTERIZATION OF EPILEPSY IN THE PEDIGREED BABOONS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. In humans and animals, there are many different classifications of epilepsy. The classification of seizures and epilepsy requires a detailed clinical history and correlation with interictal (between seizure) electroencephalography (EEG). In animals, to further characterize the seizure types, a careful observation of the seizures and the frequency is required. Spontaneous seizures have been reported in the pedigreed baboons at SFBR for over 15 years. The seizures have occurred in the absence of any overt neuropathologic, toxic or metabolic abnormalities, but the seizure types and frequency have not been well characterized. The seizures occur too infrequently to warrant continuous observation or monitoring. Different types of epilepsy, however, have distinctive EEG patterns. The information from these EEGs can be obtained and studied in an awake epileptic individual that is not having clinical seizure activity during the exam. Also intermittent light stimulation (photostimulation) can, in predisposed animals, induce clinical manifestations of epilepsy, seizures. A preliminary survey of the epileptic baboons using a combination of photostimulation and EEG recordings to characterize the type of epilepsy has demonstrated 3 distinct epileptic types. These animals represent a unique animal model for inherited epilepsy. From a clinical and genetic standpoint they will be useful to study epilepsy in humans and to test new drugs used to treat epilepsy.