GABA?

[Guest guest]

Haven't I also heard, though, that GABA can cause

seizures in some?--D

--- martinccf@... wrote:

>

>

> On Sun, 30 Dec 2001 16:04:46 -0600 Kathy Greenwood

>

> writes:

>

> I found an amino acid called GABA on kirkman labs

> web site. Its " an

> amino

> acid that is classified as a neurotransmitter " . It

> " has a tranquilizing

> effect and improves restful sleep " . I started

> lin on this since he

> was

> having a lot of trouble sleeping and it really has

> helped him a lot.

>

> Kathy (Mom to lin, 3 1/2 years old, idiopathic

> generalized epilepsy)

>

>

>

http://www.kirkmanlabs.com/products/articles/GABA.htm

>

> Heres the link if anyone is interested.

> FYI...neruontin

> is synthetic Gaba!! and alot of AEDs work on the

> gaba

> receptors.

>

> Thanks...interesting!!

> Barb...s mom

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

On Mon, 31 Dec 2001 14:12:07 -0800 (PST) DeEtte Person writes:

Haven't I also heard, though, that GABA can causeseizures in some?--D

donno bout that...guess its like anything...ymmv!!

I do know that Gaba is supposta be an inhibitory and Glutamate are excitatory

neurotransmitters

I just remember when I did my research into Neruontin that it was a

synthetic GAba...and several others work on the same avenue, some

prohibiting the release thus causing a buildup and some tricking the

brain into releasing extra.

check this out...found it on medscape some time ago

http://cmecenter.medscape.com/server-java/MedPage?med95-97+377150+(gamma+amino+butyric+acid)Seizure-inducing effects can be observed in the treatment of epilepticpatients with antiepileptic drugs (AED). This may be a paradoxical reaction(for example the increase of complex focal seizures due to carbamazepine,vigabatrin or phenytoin treatment) or a result of AED-induced encephalopathy(commonly induced by valproate in patients with complex focal seizures). Aseizure increase during intoxication with AED is a rare phenomenon, thus, itis not directly related to this condition. An incorrect choice of drugs inthe treatment of an epileptic syndrome or seizure type may provoke seizures(as for example the provocation of absences due to carbamazepine orphenytoin). The possible seizure-inducing effect of AEDs has to bedifferentiated from seizure occurrence due to the natural course ofepilepsy. This may be especially difficult in patients suffering from Westsyndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, in whom seizure frequency may vary evenwithout medication. However, especially in these patients, drug-inducedworsening of seizure manifestation is often observed. In general, aseizure-inducing effect of antiepileptic drugs has to be considered when aseizure increase is observed soon after the initiation of therapy, when astepwise increase of the dosage is followed by a further increase ofseizures, a decrease of seizures is seen with tapering of the dosage and arenewed increase of seizures can be observed after this therapy has beenreestablished. Finally, one knows that the clinical condition ofencephalopathy due to valproate or carbamazepine is accompanied by seizureincrease. In spite of these clinical aspects, the underlying mechanisms ofseizure increase mostly remain unclear. From animal experiments it isobvious that especially carbamazepine and phenytoin may provoke generalizedseizures as absences or myoclonic seizures. A seizure increase duringvigabatrin therapy has been attributed to the increase of the cerebralamount of gamma-amino butyric acid, which is known to possibly exhibitinhibitory or excitatory neuronal effects. The occurrence of tonic seizuresin patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome has been attributed to the sedativeeffect of the drugs; however, this conclusion is controversial. From aclinical point of view, one should consider young age of the patient, mentalretardation, antiepileptic polytherapy, high frequency of seizures orprominent epileptic activity in the electroencephalogram previous tomedication as risk factors for a possible seizure-inducing effect ofantiepileptic drugs.