• Calendar
• A-Z Index

Nihal de Lanerolle

 

Neuroscience

Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurobiology

Education

D.Phil. University of Sussex 1972
D.Sc. Sussex 1995

Research Interests

In many types of epilepsy, notably in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE), seizures originate from regions of the brain that are anatomically and physiologically disorganized (seizure foci). The goal of our research is the analysis of the neuropathology of seizure foci to determine how they generate and maintain seizures. State-of-the-art molecular neuroanatomical techniques are employed to define the neuroanatomical substrates for specific types of epilepsy, while high-throughput gene expression analyses and proteomics are further employed to define the molecular complexity that underlies seizure foci. Astrocytes in human seizure foci are targeted in studies to define their role in seizure maintenance and epileptogenesis. Our hypothesis is that astrocytes are the source of high extracellular glutamate at seizure foci through their responsiveness to inflammatory factors and modification of the blood-brain barrier at seizure foci. The laboratory is also developing new animal models of epilepsy, based on results of human studies, for translational research.

Recent Publications

• Lee, T.-S., et al. (2007). Gene expression in temporal lobe epilepsy is consistent with increased release of glutamate by astrocytes. Mol. Med. 13:1-13.
• de Lanerolle, N.C. and Lee, T.-S. (2005). New facets of the neuropathology and molecular profile of human temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behav. 7:190-203.

Contact

E-mail
nihal.delanerolle@yale.edu