Funding outcome

Seizures occur when there is abnormal and excessive brain activity. In fact, the first week of life is the most vulnerable age for developing seizures. Excessive brain activity is toxic and can lead to cell death. Seizures during infancy can have long-term consequences that reduce quality of life, such as memory and learning problems. To improve outcomes for infants, we need to understand the mechanisms cells use to protect themselves from seizures, specifically when it occurs in early life. Lipid droplets are compartments within cells that store fat. Lipid droplets form in response to stress and can play a protective role. We previously found that lipid droplets form in the adult brain after excessive brain activity. Using an isolated region of the rat brain, the hippocampus, we discovered that lipid droplets also form in newborn animals but in a different type of cell than adults. It is unknown what causes lipid droplet formation in the newborn brain and whether they are also protective. We will study if seizures induce lipid droplet formation in the newborn brain. We will also determine whether lipid droplets protect the newborn brain from cell death. Ultimately, this study will help us understand how the brain responds to seizures in early development and may reveal pathways that could be targeted to improve outcomes following seizures when they occur early in life.