Functional rundown of gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptors in human hypothalamic hamartomas

Objective Human hypothalamic hamartomas (HH) are highly associated with treatment-resistant gelastic seizures. HH are intrinsically epileptogenic, although the basic cellular mechanisms responsible for seizure activity are unknown. Altered gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) function can contribute to epileptogenesis in humans and animal models. Recently, functional GABAA receptor (GABAAR) rundown has been described in surgically-resected human temporal lobe epilepsy tissue. We asked whether functional GABAAR rundown also occurs in human HH neurons.