ALTERED BRAIN SODIUM-CHANNEL TRANSCRIPT LEVELS IN HUMAN EPILEPSY

Normal, and perhaps pathological, characteristics of neuronal excitabi lity are related to the distribution and density of voltage-gated ion channels such as the sodium channel. We studied normal and epileptic h uman brain using the ligase detection reaction to measure the relative quantities of mRNAs encoding sodium channel subtypes 1 and 2. Normal brains exhibited characteristic 1:2 ratios which varied by brain regio n, but the ratios were invariate among individuals. These normal value s were altered as much as threefold in anatomically corresponding regi ons of epileptic brain tissues. Changes of this magnitude in such a hi ghly conserved value support a potential role for sodium channels in t he pathophysiology of epilepsy.