title: Hypocalcemia-induced seizure: demystifying the calcium paradox.
abstract: Calcium is essential for both neurotransmitter release and muscle contraction. Given these important physiological processes, it seems reasonable to assume that hypocalcemia may lead to reduced neuromuscular excitability. Counterintuitively, however, clinical observation has frequently documented hypocalcemia's role in induction of seizures and general excitability processes such as tetany, Chvostek's sign, and bronchospasm. The mechanism of this calcium paradox remains elusive, and very few pathophysiological studies have addressed this conundrum. Nevertheless, several studies primarily addressing other biophysical issues have provided some clues. In this review, we analyze the data of these studies and propose an integrative model to explain this hypocalcemic paradox.
authors: Barrow Neurological Institute, Dignity Health St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA PengCheng.Han@dignityhealth.org.
authors: Pengcheng
authors: P
authors: Han
authors: Creighton University School of Medicine-Phoenix Campus, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors: Bradley J
authors: BJ
authors: Trinidad
authors: Barrow Neurological Institute, Dignity Health St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors: Jiong
authors: J
authors: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium
keywords: action potential; hypocalcemia; ion channel; neurophysiology; seizure; synaptic transmission