Expertise and current research performed: The Fondazione Istituto Neurologico Casimiro Mondino - recognized by the Italian Ministry of Health as a “Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care” (IRCCS) and affiliated with the University of Pavia - conducts and promotes scientific research into the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of nervous system and mental diseases. The Institute includes 3 inpatient departments (1. Clinical Neurology and Special Therapies; 2. Clinical Neurology and Rehabilitation; 3. - Child Neurology and Psychiatry), diagnostic services (Neuroradiology; Neurophysiopathology; Lab. for Diagnostics and Applied Biological Research) and 32 research centers/laboratories. The main research fields are: Cerebrovascular diseases and diagnostic imaging, Neuroimmunopathology and medical neurooncology, Neurodegenerative processes and movement disorders, Neuropsychopathology of childhood and adolescence, Functional and behavioural neurology including, in particular, epilepsy and sleep disorders. Within the “Functional and behavioural neurology” line of research of the CR15 FMPV, epilepsy represents a key area of investigation, with particular reference to the study of mechanisms potentially involved in the variability of the response to antiepileptic therapy. Neurophysiological, endocrinological and pharmacological (pharmacokinetic) correlates are currently under investigation. Particular attention is being devoted to the study of drug resistance in epilepsy, which represents a major public health problem. A considerable effort is being made to reach a deeper understanding of the neurobiological and clinical mechanisms underlying the intractability of epilepsy, which may provide the basis for the future development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

Facilities/Equipment: Morphological (traditional) and functional (fMRI) neuroimaging, Neurophysiological techniques (conventional and long-term monitoring EEG; transcranial magnetic stimulation), Molecular biology and biochemistry (real-time PCR, automated sequencer, HPLC, cytofluorimeter).

Personnel involved in the project

Principal investigator: Emilio Perucca (M). Education: MD (1975), PhD (1980), specialization in Neurology (1982). Current position: Full Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Pavia and Director of the Laboratories for Diagnostics and Applied Biological Research at the Neurological Institute “C. Mondino”, Pavia. Prof. Perucca is currently Past-President of the Italian League against Epilepsy, Secretary to the Commission on European Affairs of the International League against Epilepsy (ILAE) and First Vice-President of ILAE. Main research interests: treatment of epilepsy, with special reference to clinical pharmacokinetics, therapeutic drug monitoring, clinical trial methodology and outcome assessment.

Fabio Blandini (M). Education: MD (1986), specialization in Neurology (1990) and Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry (2001). Current position: Head of the Laboratory of Functional Neurochemistry, Neurological Institute “C. Mondino”, Pavia. Main research interests: neurobiology of neurodegenerative disorders. Pierangelo Veggiotti (M). Education: MD (1983), specialization in Child Neuropsichiatry (Pavia, 1988) and Clinical Neurophisiology (Pavia, 1992). Current position: Associate Professor of Child Neuropsichiatry (University of Pavia); Head of the Developmental EEG Laboratory, Neurological Institute “C. Mondino”, Pavia. Main research interests: epileptic encephalopathies; ketogenic diet and new antiepileptic drugs; genetics of epilepsy. Carlo Andrea Galimberti (M). Education: MD (1981), specialization in Neurology (1987) and Clinical Neurophisiology (1990). Current position: Head of the Epilepsy Centre, Neurological Institute “C. Mondino”, Pavia. Main research interests: epileptology and clinical neurophysiology

1 MD to be appointed

1 PhD to be appointed

Recent relevant publications/patents

1.        Perucca E. (2005) An introduction to antiepileptic drugs. Epilepsia 46 Suppl 4, 31-37.

2.        Perucca E. (2005) Can drug resistance in epilepsy be minimized? Challenging commonly held beliefs. Epileptic. Disord. 7 Suppl 1, 14.

3.        Gidal B.E., Baltes E., Otoul C., and Perucca E. (2005) Effect of levetiracetam on the pharmacokinetics of adjunctive antiepileptic drugs: a pooled analysis of data from randomized clinical trials. Epilepsy Res. 64, 1-11.

4.        Galimberti C.A., Magri F., Copello F., Arbasino C., Cravello L., Casu M., Patrone V., and Murialdo G. (2005) Seizure frequency and cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels in women with epilepsy receiving antiepileptic drug treatment. Epilepsia 46, 517-523.

5.        Veggiotti P, Longaretti F, Signorini S, Cardinali S, Lanzi G (2004) Topiramate efficacy in an infant with partial seizures refractory to conventional antiepileptic drugs. Seizure 13,241-243.