title: Treatment of infantile spasms: emerging insights from clinical and basic science perspectives.
abstract: Infantile spasms is an epileptic encephalopathy of early infancy with specific clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) features, limited treatment options, and a poor prognosis. Efforts to develop improved treatment options have been hindered by the lack of experimental models in which to test prospective therapies. The neuropeptide adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is effective in many cases of infantile spasms, although its mechanism(s) of action is unknown. This review describes the emerging candidate mechanisms that can underlie the therapeutic effects of ACTH in infantile spasms. These mechanisms can ultimately help to improve understanding and treatment of the disease. An overview of current treatments of infantile spasms, novel conceptual and experimental approaches to infantile spasms treatment, and a perspective on remaining clinical challenges and current research questions are presented here. This summary derives from a meeting of specialists in infantile spasms clinical care and research held in New York City on June 14, 2010.
authors: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, USA. stafstrom@neurology.wisc.edu
authors: Carl E
authors: CE
authors: Stafstrom
authors: Barry G W
authors: BG
authors: Arnason
authors: Tallie Z
authors: TZ
authors: Baram
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Catania
authors: Miguel A
authors: MA
authors: Cortez
authors: Tracy A
authors: TA
authors: Glauser
authors: Michael R
authors: MR
authors: Pranzatelli
authors: Raili
authors: R
authors: Riikonen
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: Rogawski
authors: Shlomo
authors: S
authors: Shinnar
authors: John W
authors: JW
authors: Swann
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone