Exercise for Brain Regeneration in Epilepsy

Description

Nearly 100 million Americans are affected by neurological disorders with an overall cost above $765 billion for the more prevalent conditions. Given this significant burden, effective treatments to prevent dementia and new disease modifying therapies are urgently needed. Regeneration of lost neurons with new ones (i.e., neurogenesis) is compromised at early stages of dementia and in part correlates with cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease. Boosting the neurogenesis delays the cognitive impairment in animal models of dementia and has been proven beneficial in improving the memory in rodent studies. Aerobic exercise is the most potent known stimulator of neurogenesis in animal models. A crucial next step is to translate endogenous regenerative strategies to people. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility and investigate the effects of an exercise program on neurogenesis and cognitive improvement in epilepsy patients.

Conditions

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Nearly 100 million Americans are affected by neurological disorders with an overall cost above $765 billion for the more prevalent conditions. Given this significant burden, effective treatments to prevent dementia and new disease modifying therapies are urgently needed. Regeneration of lost neurons with new ones (i.e., neurogenesis) is compromised at early stages of dementia and in part correlates with cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease. Boosting the neurogenesis delays the cognitive impairment in animal models of dementia and has been proven beneficial in improving the memory in rodent studies. Aerobic exercise is the most potent known stimulator of neurogenesis in animal models. A crucial next step is to translate endogenous regenerative strategies to people. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility and investigate the effects of an exercise program on neurogenesis and cognitive improvement in epilepsy patients.

Regenerating the Adult Human Brain Through Exercise

Exercise for Brain Regeneration in Epilepsy

Condition
Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Los Angeles

University of Southern California Department of Neurosurgery, Los Angeles, California, United States, 90033

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Age of 18 years or older
  • * Medically resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy
  • * Candidacy for standard or selective temporal lobectomy
  • * Age of older than 65 years
  • * Pregnancy
  • * Physical disabilities or medical conditions preventing from participation in exercise program
  • * Inability to receive exercise equipment at home
  • * Cognitive/developmental disabilities restricting the participation in exercise program

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

University of Southern California,

Jonathan J Russin, MD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Southern California

Study Record Dates

2024-08-31