By Laura Cummings
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases that affects North Americans, and Dr. Dan McIntyre is helping to find better treatments options for people affected by it.
While his work is not unusual, what he uses to help him conduct it is — rats.
Dr. McIntyre is a Chancellor’s Professor of Psychology for Carleton University’s Institute of Neuroscience. Along with colleagues, McIntyre helped discover the primary research tool used to study the genetic source of epileptic seizures, the “kindling” model.
Using this technique, they selectively bred rats to produce two specialized groups: those prone to seizures and those resilient to them.
McIntyre is exploring possible personality differences in both groups. He also looks at their gene profiles, since multiple genes are involved in concluding whether a person is prone or resistant to epilepsy.
Evidence is already appearing from McIntyre’s research that animals (including humans) more prone to seizures many also have more tendencies towards Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
McIntyre and his associates hope to use these animal-based models to create better treatment plans for conditions like Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE), the most common form of epilepsy. Epilepsy affects just over one per cent of North America’s population, making it the second-most common neurological disease. As well, though not considered epileptic by definition, eight to ten per cent of North Americans may experience an epileptic seizure during their lives.
McIntyre recently received a Basic Science Investigators Award, one of the foremost international awards in epilepsy research. The honour came from the American Epileptic Society and the Miliken Family Foundation, as well as a $50,000 cash prize.
“I’m very pleased that my international colleagues thought high enough of me to nominate me … then slip me the award,” McIntyre said in a past interview. “It’s kind of nice.”
McIntyre’s work is far from done, however. “This award doesn’t provide a blanket of extrinsic motivation,” he said. “My intrinsic motivation will always be the same – to turn over stones.”