BLOCKADE OF NEUROPSIN, A SERINE-PROTEASE, AMELIORATES KINDLING EPILEPSY

The behavioural and electrographical abnormalities associated with sei zures in epileptic (kindled) mice correspond with those of human epile psy. In kindled mice, neuropsin was markedly increased in the hippocam pus and cerebral cortices. A single intraventricular injection of mono clonal antibodies specific to neuropsin reduced or eliminated the epil eptic pattern noted on electroencephalograms and, as a result markedly inhibited the progression of kindling. Therefore, neuropsin appears t o be a key protein controlling pathogenic events in the hippocampus, a nd thus neuropsin inhibitors might be useful for treatment of epilepsy .