Donarum-3R01NS040270-03S1

Succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder effecting approximately 350 people around the world. Patients suffering from SSADH deficiency experience language acquisition failure, memory deficiencies, autism, increased aggressive behaviors, and seizures. There is a chemical buildup of both gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) in the neurological system of these patients. The Aldh5a1-/- knock out mouse model of SSADH deficiency shows the same chemical imbalances as the human disease, with additional fatal tonic-clonic seizures at three weeks of age. The elucidation of seizure causing pathways will facilitate treatment of seizure phenotypes in diseases with related epilepsy.

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Donarum EA, Stephan DA, Larkin K, Murphy EJ, Gupta M, Senephansiri H, Switzer RC, Pearl PL, Snead OC, Jakobs C, Gibson KM