Original post from Science Daily
An extract
‘…………..University of Toronto biologists leading an investigation into the cells that regulate proper brain function, have identified and located the key players whose actions contribute to afflictions such as epilepsy and schizophrenia. The discovery is a major step toward developing improved treatments for these and other neurological disorders.
“Neurons in the brain communicate with other neurons through synapses, communication that can either excite or inhibit other neurons,” said Professor Melanie Woodin in the Department of Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Toronto (U of T), lead investigator of a study published today in Cell Reports. “An imbalance among the levels of excitation and inhibition – a tip towards excitation, for example – causes improper brain function and can produce seizures. We identified a key complex of proteins that can regulate excitation-inhibition balance at the cellular level.”………………’