title: [Confluence of dementia and epilepsy pathologies].
abstract: Epilepsy in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not a mere complication of another common disease, but a result of synaptic dysfunction due to accumulation of toxic amyloid β (Aβ). An epileptic attack triggers formation of a new neuronal circuit to lower the threshold of the next attack, which is a result of inherent neuronal plasticity. In patients with AD, this plasticity is impaired such that a "seizures beget seizures" situation does not occur. Thus, patients with epilepsy in AD often respond well to medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The University of Tokyo Hospital.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iwata
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003704:Dementia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides