Document Detail


What is known about the mechanisms underlying SUDEP?
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19087123     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
This article highlights studies in three major domains of potential mechanisms of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP): cardiac, respiratory, and autonomic. Ictal cardiac arrest is a clinically rare but well-recognized potential mechanism of SUDEP. Studies have failed to identify preexisting cardiac electrophysiologic or structural abnormalities that distinguish SUDEP persons. Some degree of pulmonary congestion is a common autopsy finding, but severe pulmonary edema occurs very rarely with seizures. In contrast, periictal apnea and hypoxia occur commonly with generalized tonic-clonic seizures and, to a lesser degree, with complex partial seizures. There are several animal models of postictal respiratory arrest. Postictal respiratory arrest in audiogenic seizure mice can be induced by serotonin receptor inhibition or prevented by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs. Reduced heart rate variability occurs in patients with refractory epilepsy and can be induced in animal seizure models, but its precise role in predisposing persons to sudden death requires further investigation.
Authors:
Elson L So
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Epilepsia     Volume:  49 Suppl 9     ISSN:  1528-1167     ISO Abbreviation:  Epilepsia     Publication Date:  2008 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-12-17     Completed Date:  2009-01-22     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  2983306R     Medline TA:  Epilepsia     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  93-8     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. eso@mayo.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Autonomic Nervous System / physiopathology
Death, Sudden / etiology*,  pathology*
Epilepsy / complications*
Heart Diseases / complications
Humans
Lung Diseases / complications

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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