Academic Journal
The role of ubiquitin C–terminal hydrolase (UCH‐L1) and protein S100B in differentiating patients with epileptic and psychogenic non‐epileptic seizures – Pilot study
| Title: | The role of ubiquitin C–terminal hydrolase (UCH‐L1) and protein S100B in differentiating patients with epileptic and psychogenic non‐epileptic seizures – Pilot study |
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| Authors: | Biljana Dapic Ivancic, Zeljka Petelin Gadze, Lana Ganoci, Petra Nimac Kozina, Dunja Rogic, Maja Zivkovic |
| Source: | Epilepsia Open Epilepsia Open, Vol 10, Iss 2, Pp 441-449 (2025) |
| Publisher Information: | Wiley, 2025. |
| Publication Year: | 2025 |
| Subject Terms: | Adult, Male, Adolescent, Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / blood, Electroencephalography, Pilot Projects, Epilepsy / blood, Middle Aged, Diagnosis, Differential, Young Adult, protein S100B, ubiquitin C‐terminal hydrolase L1, Seizures / blood, Biomarkers / blood, Humans, epilepsy, Female, psychogenic non‐epileptic seizures, Original Article, Prospective Studies, S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit / blood, Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system, Seizures / diagnosis, RC346-429, Epilepsy / diagnosis |
| Description: | ObjectivePsychogenic non‐epileptic seizures (PNES) are functional neurological disorders that are often misdiagnosed and treated as epileptic seizures (ES). Video‐electroencephalography (v‐EEG) is the gold standard for differentiating ES from PNES. However, blood biomarkers provide a faster and more accessible methodology, particularly for unwitnessed events. Ubiquitin C‐terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH‐L1) and protein S100B are key biomarkers released following neuronal and glial damage. Previous experimental and clinical studies have shown increased postictal serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of UCH‐L1 and S100B in patients with ES.MethodsThis prospective cohort pilot study compared postictal serum levels of UCH‐L1 and S100B proteins in subjects with ES to those with PNES, aiming to identify specific biomarkers for distinguishing these conditions. To exclude confounding factors, the inclusion criteria required normal magnetic resonance (MR) findings of the brain. Strict timing of blood sampling and v‐EEG monitoring were used for diagnosing PNES. The study included 32 subjects with epilepsy, 36 with PNES, and 30 healthy controls.ResultsA significant difference in postictal UCH‐L1 levels was observed among the groups. Subjects with ES had significantly higher postictal UCH‐L1 levels (pg/mL) compared to those with PNES (p = 0.049) and healthy controls (p = 0.029). No significant differences were found between PNES subjects and healthy controls (p = 0.756). Postictal protein S100B levels did not differ significantly between the groups (p = 0.515).SignificanceThis study confirms the potential of postictal UCH‐L1 levels as a biomarker for distinguishing ES from PNES. However, it also raises questions about the utility of protein S100B as a biomarker in epilepsy. Given the pilot nature of this study, UCH‐L1 cannot yet be adopted for clinical use due to the small sample size, as statistical significance may have been driven by a subset of eight patients.Plain Language SummaryThis study evaluated two potential biomarkers, UCH‐L1 and S100B, to differentiate ES from PNES in clinical practice. Our findings showed elevated postictal UCH‐L1 levels in subjects with epilepsy compared to those with PNES, while no significant differences in S100B levels were observed among the groups. |
| Document Type: | Article Other literature type |
| File Description: | application/pdf |
| Language: | English |
| ISSN: | 2470-9239 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/epi4.13130 |
| Access URL: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40025842 https://doaj.org/article/f09f6a5c3d314a629bf5dc15445bf16f https://urn.nsk.hr/urn:nbn:hr:105:047060 https://doi.org/10.1002/epi4.13130 |
| Rights: | CC BY NC ND URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/This is an open access article under the terms of the http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non‐commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. |
| Accession Number: | edsair.doi.dedup.....ff50c2ac55d291c751efdd2954e333b0 |
| Database: | OpenAIRE |
| ISSN: | 24709239 |
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| DOI: | 10.1002/epi4.13130 |