EpiC: Clinical and experimental epilepsy

MD, PhD, PU-PH, Team Leader, PI, AP-HP, Sorbonne Université

PhD, DR1, Team Leader, PI, INSERM

Team presentation

The team "Clinical and experimental epilepsy" explores how the brain becomes epileptic (epileptogenesis), how it produces seizures (ictogenesis) and the relationships between neurophysiological activities and clinical semiology. The team is also exploring extreme brain conditions expressing continuous and abnormal electrical activities (isoelectric state and state of epileptic pain).

The team "Clinical and experimental epilepsy" develops a multi-level translational approach, combining in vivo recordings in both epileptic patients and in animal models of spontaneous seizures, from the cortex to the basal ganglia. The objective of our approach is to better define the mechanistic links between the properties of single neurons and large-scale brain dynamics, and to elucidate the different facets of the pathophysiology of focal and generalized epilepsies.

To complement this research, the team is exploring the extreme brain conditions with continuous abnormal electrical activities (from isoelectric status to epilepsy to dying).

Main publications

Anne-Lise Paupiah, Melvyn Ginisty, Capucine Gendre, Marion Russeau, Imane Mouktine, Sabine Levi, Jean-Christophe Poncer, Marianne Renner (2026) Epileptic encephalopathy-related Kv2.1 mutants impair clustering but not neuronal excitability. Biophys J S0006-3495(26)00639-9.

Carla Pagan, Pauline Weinzettl, Marika A Markkanen, Marion Russeau, Matti S Airaksinen, Jean-Christophe Poncer (2026) Differential isoform-specific control of KCC2 function in developing and mature cortical neurons. EMBO Rep (epub ahead of print)

Aymard Grou-Radenez, Antoine Carton-Leclercq, Sofia Carrion-Falgarona, Anthony Pinto, Brieg Oudea, Sarah Lecas, Stéphane Charpier, Séverine Mahon (2026) Cortical network resilience to transient anoxia involves redistribution of single-neuron firing. Neurobiol Dis 226:107441

Florian Donneger, Adrien Zanin, Jeremy Besson, Delphine Roussel, Yoness Kadiri, Carla Pagan, Manisha Sinha, Nicolas David, Marion Russeau, Franck Bielle, Bertrand Devaux, Bertrand Mathon, Vincent Navarro, Francine Chassoux, Jean Christophe Poncer (2026) Enhancing KCC2 function reduces interictal activity and prevents seizures in temporal lobe epilepsy Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 10;123(10):e2522722123

Calonge Q, Guinebretiere O, Nedelec T, Hanin A, Le Gac F, Chavez M, Tubach F, Tezenas Du Montcel S, Navarro V (2025) Recurrence and Mortality After a First Status Epilepticus: A Retrospective Nationwide Study From the French National Health Data System. Neurology 104(12):e213693

Vellieux G, Apartis E, Baudin P, Del Río Quiñones MA, Villemonte de la Clergerie D, Kas A, Navarro V, Lance-Adams Coinvestigators (2024) Multimodal Assessment of the Origin of Myoclonus in Lance-Adams Syndrome. Neurology 103(11):e209994

Ribierre T, Bacq A, Donneger F, Doladilhe M, Maletic M, Roussel D, Le Roux I, Chassoux F, Devaux B, Adle-Biassette H, Ferrand-Sorbets S, Dorfmüller G, Chipaux M, Baldassari S, Poncer JC, Baulac S (2024) Targeting pathological cells with senolytic drugs reduces seizures in neurodevelopmental mTOR-related epilepsy. Nat Neurosci. 27(6):1125-1136.

Carton-Leclercq A, Sofia Carrion-Falgarona S, Baudin P, Lemaire P, Lecas S, Topilko T, Charpier S, Mahon S (2023) Laminar organization of neocortical activities during systemic anoxia. Neurobiol Dis. 188:106345

Hanin A, Cespedes J, Dorgham K, Pulluru Y, Gopaul M, Gorochov G, Hafler DA, Navarro V, Gaspard N, Hirsch LJ (2023) Cytokines in New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus Predict Outcomes. Ann Neurol. 94(1):75-90