title: Reduced ouabain binding to erythrocytes in epilepsy--evidence for a membrane abnormality.
abstract: The number of sodium pump sites on erythrocytes was measured using tritiated ouabain in 20 untreated fasted patients with recent-onset untreated primary generalised or partial seizures and in 22 age- and sex-matched controls. The ouabain binding was significantly lower at 1393 +/- 392 molecules ouabain/pl cells compared to 1677 +/- 366 molecules ouabain/pl cells in the group with epilepsy (P less than 0.02). The differences between ouabain binding in patient and control groups were greater for males than for females. There were no significant differences between patients with generalised and those with partial seizures. These results are consistent with a generalised membrane abnormality in epilepsy which, if present in the brain, might predispose to seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, (Section of Neurology), University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Scotland, U.K.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Naylor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010042:Ouabain / Q000378:metabolism*; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010042:Ouabain; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase