THE SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITOR (SSRI) AS TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION IN PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY

The current possibilities of treatment of depression in epilepsy were represented. Depression is one of the most frequent psychiatric comorbidities  in epilepsy. The prevalence of depression  ranges from 10 to 80%, and most  often found in patients with focal epilepsy resistant to antiepileptic therapy. Depression in patients with epilepsy are not often diagnosed and therefore not treated. A number of common epilepsy and depression  pathogenetic mechanisms, such as impaired metabolism  of certain neurotransmitters  in the central nervous system, especially serotonin was descripted. Based on this, the most  promising  drugs in the treatment  of depression  in epilepsy  are now the selective  serotonin  reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), such  as escitalopram.  Objective. The primary objectives  were to evaluate the efficacy and safety  of escitalopram in treating depressive symptoms. Materials and  methods. The study involved 68 patients aged 19-69 years with cryptogenic and focal epilepsy and different disease duration (from 5 to 21 years), different types of seizures and suffering depression  interictal (between  2 and 5.5 years). Depression Rating Scale of Montgomery-Asberg (MADRS) was used.  To assess the severity of the patient ’s condition at the time of the survey, a global assessment of disease severity (CGI-S) and the global assessment of the mental state (CGI-I) were used. While taking escitalopram (10-20 mg per day.), all patients received basic anticonvulsant therapy. Results.  During follow-up the patients with epilepsy who took  escitalopram,  proconvulsant  effect  were not  denoted.  In assessing depressive  symptoms improved  markedly. Against the background of escitalopram no deterioration was marked, no sedation, addiction to the drug was observed, minimum drug interactions with anticonvulsants was registered. Conclusion. The results described observation program suggests a safe and effective treatment of escitalopram epilepsy patients with depression,  it is well tolerated, low drugdrug interactions, as well as improve the quality of life of patients

Effects of hydrodynamic impact on water from the viewpoint of cluster theory. Surface tension

Variation of surface tension coefficient ? of distilled water under high-energy impact (hydrodynamic cavitation) was studied by the ring separation method. Force impacts on surface tension of water have been studied experimentally. Conditions have been found under which the surface tension coefficient ? decreases to 20%. The paper explains the produced results on the basis of cluster theory of water structure. The experimentally produced relaxation time of the surface tension of cavitation-activated distilled water to initial value has been found to be 3.5 hour

On asymptotic accuracy in L1 of a dynamical algorithm for reconstructing a disturbance

In the paper, a modification of the dynamical algorithm by Yu.S. Osipov and A.V. Kryazhimskii is suggested. This modification possesses in the space L 1 an asymptotic order of accuracy arbitrarily close to 1/2. A possibility to attain this order in the class of finite-step dynamical algorithms is considered. © 2006 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project nos. 05-01-00330 and 05-01-00732), by the Ural-Siberian Integration Project, and by the Program of Basic Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences (project no. 22 “Control Processes”)

THE IMPACT OF EPILEPTIC SEIZURES ON THE HEART RHYTHM AND CONDUCTION: A REVIEW ARTICLE

Epileptic seizures affect the heart function and can provoke heart rhythm abnormalities and conduction disorders. Dysfunctions of the supra-segmental vegetative structures are thought to play a significant role in the development of arrhythmic syndrome in epilepsy. The asymmetric influence of the left and right cerebral hemispheres on the heart rate, the impact of antiepileptic drugs and other factors on the heart rhythm are still under discussion. The role of heart rhythm abnormalities in the pathogenesis of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy is also reviewed here. We analyze the pathogenesis of cardiac arrhythmias in epilepsy, the occurrence and risk factors, the types of disorders, the role of antiepileptic therapy and the significance of cardiac arrhythmias for the development of sudden death in patients with epilepsy (SUDEP)

Is there a universal drug for epilepsy?

The article reviews the use of antiepileptic drugs in various forms of epilepsy. We present a complex case of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, the diagnostic process and antiepileptic therapy. Our own data and the results of others demonstrated a high efficacy and tolerability of valproate drugs, and a low aggravation potential in all types of epileptic seizures

Comorbidity of infantile cerebral palsy and benign epileptiform EEG discharges of childhood in dizygotic twins

The article presents a clinical case of infantile cerebral palsy combined with BEDC (with no epileptic seizures) in dizygotic twins. The case supports the hypothesis of genetic nature of the BEDC patterns. The variety of EEG characteristics and clinical courses of the disease in children with cerebral palsy and BEDC are reviewed. Correct interpretation of the EEG findings provides an accurate prognosis of seizures and cognitive functions, as well as the patient management tactics. In these patients, continuous video EEG monitoring (both awake and sleeping) is recommended for a long-time follow-up

Epileptic myoclonus

The article presents the main definitions, classification, and electroclinical characteristics of epileptic myoclonus

Epilepsy in de Vivo syndrome: a literature review and a clinical case

GLUT 1 transporter deficiency syndrome (De Vivo syndrome, GLUT 1 deficiency syndrome, De Vivo Disease) is a rare genetic disease associated with a deficiency of the glucose transporter GLUT 1. Due to this deficiency, diffusion of glucose through the blood-brain barrier is limited or completely blocked. As a result, a clinical symptom complex of neurological disorders – epileptic seizures, cognitive deficit, and motor disorders – develops. The article provides a review of the literature on the variety of epilepsy manifestations in this syndrome, including idiopathic generalized epilepsy with absences, myoclonic-astatic epilepsy, and focal epilepsy. The inability of the basic antiepileptic therapy to stop the seizures is noted. The main treatment method is the ketogenic diet. A clinical observation made by these authors is also presented

New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (NORSE): literature review and clinical case description

Here we provide a literature-based definition as well as etiological factors, clinical picture, prognosis, diagnostic algorithm, and treatment for the New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (NORSE syndrome). In addition, we also present our personal experience by describing a female patient with refractory focal epilepsy associated with the cryptogenic new-onset refractory status epilepticus