In September biomedical firm Bionomics announced the creation of a new animal model for epilepsy. Researchers at Bionomics have developed a mouse that contains a genetic mutation which causes the animal to experience seizures analogous to epileptic seizures in human beings.
In fact, this is a ‘knock-in’ mouse — the researchers added a mutation to the mice that is believed to be the cause of inherited epilepsy in human beings.
Bionomics Managing Director Deborah Rathjen said in a press release,
The new mouse model contains a genetic mutation representative of human epilepsy and we will now be able to assess more closely the neurological and physiological mechanisms causing epilepsy. We can move to identify fourth generation anti-epileptic drugs that will be more effective and with fewer side effects.
As many as 30 percent of people diagnose with epilepsy don’t respond to existing drugs.
Source:
Bionomics breakthrough world’s first animal model of inherited human epilepsy. Bionomics, Press Release, September 8, 2002.
Bionomics Touts New Mouse Model, Posts Loss. Melissa Trudinger, Australian Biotechnology News, September 9, 2002.