Project Overview

This project aims at elucidating the roles of new candidate genes in brain development, particularly in the context of refractory paediatric epilepsies (epileptic encephalopathies) and co-morbid neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and intellectual deficiency.  Lara Eid is particularly interested in a small population of inhibitory neurons, namely the cortical GABAergic interneurons, which are crucial in maintaining the balance between excitatory and inhibitory activity in the brain. A better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the function of these genes in the brain, particularly in GABAergic interneuron development, will open the path to new personalized therapeutic targets, which will greatly improve the neurological outcome of children with epileptic encephalopathies with or without autism and intellectual deficiency.