DSF Research Review
Welcome to DSF’s Research Review! We use this space to keep you up to date on the most exciting studies that are published each month on Dravet syndrome and SCN1A. Each review includes a link to the original abstract or article (where possible), as well as a lay-person’s summary. Have questions? Email our team.
Looking for more information on research? Click on the button below to go to a list of pubmed published scientific articles on Dravet syndrome.
October 2019
Reduced efficacy and risk of seizure aggravation when cannabidiol is used without clobazam
Cannabidiol oral solution (Epidiolex) was recently approved in the United States for the treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome. It is typically used as an adjunct with other medication(s). This paper highlights [...]
Gait abnormalities in people with Dravet syndrome: A cross-sectional multi-center study
In reviews of Dravet syndrome, statements about gait are usually very generalized, along the lines of: " by the age of 13 years, up to 80% of people with Dravet syndrome walk with [...]
September 2019
Dravet syndrome and parkinsonism: A case report investigating the dopaminergic system
This paper was interesting because one doesn't see too many reports focused on adult Dravet patients. It has been found that Parkinsonism is a motor condition that often develops in adults with Dravet [...]
August 2019
Donepezil increases resistance to induced seizures in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome
As seen in many of these research summaries, models that reliably mimic human Dravet syndrome, such as engineered mice and zebrafish, allow labs to try out various potential drugs in a quick and [...]
Zebrafish studies identify serotonin receptors mediating antiepileptic activity in Dravet syndrome
In 2013, the Baraban Lab published their work on creating and characterizing an scn1lab mutant model of zebrafish that results in many symptoms of the human disease Dravet syndrome. In that initial report, they [...]
July 2019
Engineering brain activity patterns by neuromodulator polytherapy for treatment of disorders
This article is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, it describes the use of zebrafish as a model for Dravet syndrome. Zebrafish have become very useful in medical research. They are small, [...]
NaV1.1 and NaV1.6 selective compounds reduce the behavior phenotype in a novel zebrafish model for Dravet Syndrome
Dravet syndrome is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the SCN1A gene, which codes for the alpha subunit of the NaV1.1 sodium channel. However, there are other sodium channels, and it is known that [...]
The Efficacy of Ketogenic Diet in 60 Chinese Patients With Dravet Syndrome
This was a retrospective study, gathering information on Dravet patients who, over the last nine years, had followed a strict ketogenic diet for at least 12 weeks. In total, there were 60 children [...]