Enzyme changes in actively spiking areas of human epileptic cerebral cortex

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Five enzymes involved in glutamic acid, GABA, and catecholamine metabolism were measured in epileptic human brain. Electrocorticographically defined areas of focal spiking were compared with samples from surrounding nonspiking cortex. Comparative enzyme activities were as follows (μmol/h/g wet wt): glutamic acid dehydrogenase (GDH)-spiking 135.77 ± 10.22 (mean ± SEM), nonspikingll8.58 ± 9.42 (p < 0.001, N = 17); gluotamicacid decarboxylase—spiking 10.63 ± 0.95, nonspiking 9.96 ± 1.10 (NS, N = 13); GABA-aminotransferase—spiking 36.49 ± 1.05, nonspiking 36.46 ± 1.48 (NS, N = 12); glutamine synthetase-spiking 96.94 ± 3.81, nonspiking 96.52 ± 4.10 (NS, N = 20); and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH; nmol/h/g)-spiking 16.23 ± 2.39, nonspiking 10.67 ± 1.95 (p < 0.001, N = 14). Increased activity of GDH and TH may prove useful to characterize further areas of active spiking in human focal epilepsy.