title: Enterotoxins of Escherichia coli and epilepsy.
abstract: Evidence exists that cyclic nucleotides play an important role in the stabilisation of developing synapses during the early postnatal period, and later on participate in the generation of the slow excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. It is postulated that enterotoxins of Escherichia coli, due to their long-lasting and specific action on cyclic nucleotide-dependent processes, provide a unique mechanism for selective impairment of synaptogenesis in the abscence of cell loss. Therefore it seems possible that early enteritis, when caused by certain pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, might be an aetiological factor in the genesis of idiopathic epilepsy.
mesh_terms: D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004768:Enterotoxins; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP