SUMMARY: Researchers will study seizures caused by autoimmune encephalitis in cats to learn more about the cause of the disease and to help identify new and more effective treatments.
THE PROBLEM: Recognizing and treating cat seizures is challenging for veterinarians and distressing for pet parents. One cause of seizures is a condition called autoimmune encephalitis. There are several causes of AE in cats, and in one known type, the immune system produces antibodies against the brain itself, leading to inflammation. This type of AE is emerging as a leading cause of seizures and behavior change in pet cats. Disease severity leads to euthanasia in 15% to 30% of affected cats. Better methods to detect and treat AE are desperately needed.
THE PROJECT: In this project, researchers aim to better understand AE by studying inflammation using various methods on banked brain samples of cats with AE and without AE. The team will study specific immune system activity and brain-active genes. They also hope to develop new testing methods to identify severe cases of AE in cats.
POTENTIAL IMPACT: Researchers hope a better understanding of the causes of AE will lead to the discovery of diagnostic markers and new treatment targets for this often severe and challenging disease of cats.
Study ID
D24FE-810
Study Status
Active
Grant amount awarded
$20,000
Grant recipient
University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Study country
United Kingdom
Investigator
Sophie N. Binks, BA, MRCP, BMBS, DPhil