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Seizure reduction could be credited to pig cell brain implants (December 14, 1998 01:10 a.m. EST <http://www.nandotimes.com>) -- Though drugs couldn't prevent their epileptic seizures, two men reportedly got relief once fetal pig cells were implanted in their brains -- an encouraging but very preliminary result. One 40-year-old patient had been averaging about one seizure a month in which he blacked out. He hasn't had any such episodes since the surgery July 2, said neurologist Steven Schachter of Harvard Medical School. A 45-year-old man had 22 seizures in the three months before his surgery last January, but only 13 in three months following the procedure, Schachter said. The seizures made the man unresponsive and sometimes caused convulsions and confusion. Both patients continued on medications after the cells were transplanted, and the second man eventually had the seizure-triggering site in his brain removed, Schachter said in a recent telephone interview. The men were part of a study to see if the transplants were feasible and safe. It's too soon to tell how useful they might be, Schachter said. No side effects were observed. Schachter presented the results in San Diego at the annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society. He did the work with neurologist Donald Schomer of Harvard. The researchers think the cells can reduce seizures by pumping out a natural substance called GABA. Schachter said he hopes transplants could eventually help people with epilepsy who can't be satisfactorily treated with drugs or standard surgery. Copyright 1998 Nando Media Copyright 1998 The Associated Press janet paterson - 51 now /41 dx /37 onset - almonte/ontario/canada [log in to unmask]