Michele Simonato

University of Ferrara – Ferrara, Italy.

Department of Medical Sciences.

LECTURE: MicroRNAs, Gene Networks, Gene Therapy: Promises and Challenges for Treating Epilepsies and their Comorbidities.

Gene therapy has been employed to pursue anti-epileptogenic and anti-seizure effects. Michele Simonato will show how anti-epileptogenic effects have been obtained supplementing the neurotrophic factors FGF-2 and BDNF during l, the period between the Status Epilepticus (insult) and the beginning of spontaneous recurrent seizures in experimental models of epilepsy (latency), by means of a Herpes-based vector.

Anti-seizure effects may be obtained increasing the strength of inhibitory signals or reducing it on excitatory signals. The most promising results have been obtained with the neuropeptides galanin and neuropeptide Y (NPY). In particular, NPY expressing AAV vectors produced robust anti-seizure effects but not overt side effects, supporting their application in human epilepsy.