May 27, 2022 | Human Interest Epilepsy, Shaken Baby
About 10 years ago, a longtime state medical examiner in Texas and Mississippi told me something that has stuck with me ever since. He said there’s a type of prosecutor who believes that innocent babies just don’t die on their own. “They don’t believe in accidents,” he said, “especially when the parents are poor. Someone must be at fault. So someone has to pay.”
It isn’t hard to find cases to back up his theory. I’ve previously written about Hattie Douglas, a Mississippi woman who was arrested and jailed for a year for killing her infant son with alcohol poisoning until a lab concluded a medical examiner had botched the test results. There’s Sabrina Butler, who spent two years on death row for murdering her infant son, until doctors later concluded the baby likely died of kidney disease. Jeffrey Havard is still serving a life sentence for killing his girlfriend’s 6-month-old, despite multiple affidavits from medical professionals concluding the forensic evidence against him was junk science. In 2012, a Georgia woman was convicted of vehicular homicide after her 4-year-old son was killed by a hit-and-run driver, because she and her son were jaywalking at the time.
Other medical examiners and defense attorneys have since echoed the sentiment, pointing to cases in which prosecutors utilized scientifically dubious expert testimony to secure convictions after a baby has died. Many point to shaken baby syndrome, a diagnosis that swept through the criminal legal system in the 1990s. The diagnosis has since come under fire in the scientific community, but it’s still given weight in much of the country, including Mississippi, where just last year the state’s Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 to uphold a conviction based on the theory.
It’s against this history that criminal defense and civil rights groups have expressed alarm over Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.’s leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. If some prosecutors already believe babies don’t die without criminal culpability, it stands to reason that as state legislatures push fetal personhood back to fertilization, the same logic will be applied to miscarriages. Women who miscarry could be investigated for using alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs, or engaging in other behavior prosecutors deem risky.
In fact, this is already happening. In 2007, a Lowndes County, Miss. grand jury indicted Rennie Gibbs with murder after a stillbirth when traces of a cocaine byproduct were found in her blood. In 2020, an Oklahoma woman was charged after methamphetamine was found in her system (despite a medical examiner’s conclusion that it played no role in the miscarriage). In 2019, an Alabama woman was charged with manslaughter for starting an argument with another woman, who then shot her, killing her fetus.
But those are merely the cases that have received national attention. According to the National Advocates for Pregnant Women, between 2006 and 2020 more than 1,300 women were arrested, detained, or otherwise physically deprived of liberty for reasons related to a pregnancy. In some cases the women were charged for unintentionally harming the fetus, typically through the use of alcohol or illicit drugs. In others, prosecutors alleged the women had intentionally tried to induce an abortion
One study of more than 400 arrests or other “forced interventions” by the state on pregnant women found that more than half the women were Black, and about 7 in 10 were poor enough to qualify for a public defender. There was also wide geographic disparity. Just 10 states accounted for more than two-thirds of the cases, and nearly 8 in 10 came out of the South or Midwest. South Carolina alone represented 23 percent of the cases and, incredibly, 7 percent originated from a single South Carolina hospital.
At least 38 states currently have laws granting legal protections to fetuses. In 29, those protections kick in shortly after fertilization. But under Roe and subsequent cases, harm that befalls the fetus during a legal abortion is exempted. (In fact, the study mentioned above found that many prosecutions were already in direct defiance of federal court rulings.) But if Roe falls and states make abortion illegal, those exceptions will no longer apply. In states that put personhood at fertilization, any pregnancy that doesn’t result in a live birth could be subject to scrutiny and possible prosecution.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one-quarter of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, and about 1 in 3 women will experience one.Under a legal regime in which medical abortion is illegal, some women will inevitably try to end their pregnancies themselves. They may be targets of prosecution. But because of that, a larger percentage of women who involuntarily miscarry will likely be suspected and targeted, too.
Here, too, the prosecutions will no doubt be disproportionate. Due to malnutrition, access to medical care and other factors, poor and non-White women are more likely to miscarry. They’re also more likely to have unplanned pregnancies. If these prosecutions become more common, poorer women will be less likely to seek medical care when something goes wrong (especially since many of these prosecutions rely on tips from health-care workers), meaning more miscarriages, bringing yet more suspicion. In states such as Texas and Alabama there are already reports that physicians and pharmacists are declining to treat miscarriages in fear of a lawsuit or prosecution.
The fear here isn’t that states will explicitly make miscarriage a crime. It’s that once abortion is illegal, women who do miscarry will be investigated for ending their pregnancies intentionally. Their lifestyles and decisions will be scrutinized. They’ll be prosecuted for things such as addiction, malnutrition or failing to seek medical care. History suggests that the women most suspected will be disproportionately non-White, and they’ll overwhelmingly be women who lack the means and the platform to defend themselves.
Source: washingtonpost.com, Radley Balko
May 26, 2022 | Epilepsy, Featured Slider, Human Interest Epilepsy, News, Research, Seizures, Technology
It’s not every day you get asked to share your epilepsy story on Morning TV, let alone get to meet one of your musical heroes! For Epilepsy Action media volunteer Murray, it was all in a day’s work when he got the call to feature in a BBC Morning Live film, fronted by Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet/Eastenders).
Murray has been working with the research team at Kings College London to trial the UNEEG SubQ device – a small, implantable device which is fitted under the skin. It is constantly monitoring seizure patterns to give people like Murray more detailed information to help them better understand and predict their seizures.
This National Epilepsy Week, Murray gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his Morning Live experience and shares his words of inspiration and support about living with epilepsy.
Hi, it’s Murray here.
I was recently asked if I would like to be interviewed by the BBC’s Morning Live programme about my epilepsy and the SubQ implant that records and measures the data on my seizures. I was happy to help.
At first I was told I was going to be interviewed at King’s College where the surgery took place, by none other than Martin Kemp, 80’s pop legend! This was a dream for me, one because I am a massive music fan of that era – I still remember sitting on the floor as a boy watching Martin striding across Wembley Stadium playing Bass at Live Aid ’85 with Spandau.
Things got a bit madder when the producer phoned me back and told me that Martin said that he wanted to interview me at my house.
Wow, so I’ve been to hundreds of gigs, met lots of my heroes, have so much memorabilia from over the years. But now, one of them is coming to my house, because he wants to speak to me, about my condition?
Martin was completely down to earth, incredibly humble and took his time to talk about our experiences of epilepsy, the side-effects and medications. He wasn’t a celebrity that day – we were two guys sharing our epilepsy stories and he knew his stuff. I really admired his attitude and positivity.
It was amazing seeing the first 100 days’ worth of data on screen for the first time at King’s College with Martin and Professor Mark Richardson, who headed up the SubQ project. It showed the seizures, which lasted longer than I thought, but also other seizures I hadn’t seen, and even muscle movements. The science behind this is incredible and I’m confident it will change – and save – lives.
My friends and work colleagues were jealous about me meeting Martin, especially the ladies! But ultimately all were happy that the message was going out and everyone backed me, and they continue to do so.
The SubQ itself has become part of me now. It doesn’t feel like it’s there anymore. I can’t believe it’s been just over six months since I had it fitted. To think there’s a 10cm wire running the length of my temporal lobe, yet it’s invisible and taking in all that information, 24 hours a day. To anyone else, the wire looks like it could be connected to my headphones when I’m listening to my music. It really isn’t noticeable and looks like I’m wearing some futuristic MP3 player.
Sure, it took a little while getting used to locating the sweet spot when connecting the outer pad to the embedded disc, but it’s second nature to me now. I’ve caught it a couple of times in my sleep, but it doesn’t hurt. I just reconnect and I’m ready to go again. I can’t really break it. There’s only simple rule I need to follow – don’t get it wet. For anyone living with epilepsy, you download the data like taking your medication. It’s part of the plan of looking after your health. A digital diary of sorts and a million times more accurate because your brain is doing all the work.
On the day of the operation, I was both nervous and excited, but probably more of the latter. I had so many questions. Would it hurt? Why was I doing this? Would it help me? Would it help others? Will it tell me anything about myself?
After my first review recently, I got the answer to my final question. This device really works. Going forward, algorithms will be able to predict what seizures may come before they even happen to me. Incredible. I think the device itself will make a change to my life because, after 26 years of living with epilepsy, it will finally tell me the story of my condition over longer periods. It is constantly being monitored. I recently had a fall and hurt my back during a seizure. It has only happened 3 times in my life, but this time I was wearing the SubQ, so I feel like I have captured it and I will find out what was happening in my brain at that moment and why it happened.
I think that I need to tell people about epilepsy so they feel comfortable around me. I don’t want them to be scared should something happen. I also want them to be educated, and it ensures my safety should something happen. I thank Epilepsy Action for allowing me the opportunity to magnify the message to a wider audience.
If I were to give any words of wisdom, it would be to make sure that you live with and own your condition as much as you can. Don’t let it be the other way around. Talk to people about it. It really helps. I have come to accept that Epilepsy is part of who I am. It always will be. I don’t fear it, I embrace it. I used to be scared but I can’t live like that anymore because it will make me ill in other ways. I cannot be cured, but I hope that what I have to share will, someday, save someone else. That is my only wish.
Source: epilepsy.org.uk
May 26, 2022 | Epilepsy, Epilepsy in children, Seizure Types, Seizures
An absence seizure is a generalized onset seizure, which affects both sides of the brain at the same moment. During an absence seizure, you lose awareness of your surroundings.These seizures can cause a person to stare blankly, as though they are daydreaming. They may last around 15 seconds and can occur several times per day.
This article explains the causes, symptoms, and treatment options related to absence seizures. It also covers epilepsies characterized by absence seizures and their management.
What is an absence seizure?
Doctors may categorize an absence seizure as typical or atypical, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. They are brief and do not involve large movements or changes in muscle tone, unlike motor seizures, such as generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
Typical absence seizures are more common than atypical absence seizures and usually last less than 10 seconds. Symptoms can include:
- stopping all activity, with the person possibly stopping talking mid-sentence
- staring into the distance
- having a blank look on the face
- eyes looking upward
- eyelids fluttering
- not responding to anything, or impaired awareness
Atypical absence seizures
Atypical absence seizures last 20 seconds or longer, and they start and end slower than typical absence seizures. The symptoms include those of a typical absence seizure but include more movements, such as:
- smacking the lips
- chewing movements
- hand motions and fidgeting
- limp muscles
- moving around
- responding to the environment
After a seizure of this type, you are likely to continue the activity you were doing before the seizure and may not be aware that you had a seizure. However, if you have many seizures throughout the day, you may be confused. You may not follow what has been going on around you.
What causes absence seizures?
Seizures are due to alterations in electrical activity in the brain. Doctors can measure these changes with an electroencephalogram (EEG). An absence seizure is marked by a generalized and rhythmic 3-Hertz spike-and-wave EEG pattern.
Often, doctors cannot find the specific reason for the absence seizure.
However, absence seizures may have a genetic link. Absence seizures are hallmarks of at least the following genetic epilepsies:
- childhood absence epilepsy
- juvenile absence epilepsy
- juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
- Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
The genetic disorder glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome can also cause absence seizures. This is because the brain is not getting enough glucose, which it needs for energy.
Various things can trigger seizures, in general, and these can vary among people. Some triggers include:
- not taking your seizure medications consistently
- not getting enough sleep
- drinking alcohol
- withdrawing from some medications or alcohol
- taking medications that may interfere with your seizure drugs
How do doctors diagnose absence seizures?
An EEG helps diagnose the type of seizure. If the doctor needs to bring about a seizure to record by EEG, they may ask a child to hyperventilate for 3–4 minutes while they count out loud, with their eyes shut. This can bring on an absence seizure in over 9 in 10 children with childhood absence epilepsy.
The doctor will also ask you about your or your child’s absence seizures. They will need clear details of what happens during the seizures. The more specific you can be, the easier it will be for your doctor to make the correct diagnosis.
Genetic tests may also be a part of the diagnosis when the doctor suspects a genetic epilepsy syndrome.
Getting an accurate diagnosis is important because absence seizures can be misinterpreted as focal impaired awareness seizures. This type of seizure begins in one side of the brain and, like an absence seizure, may or may not involve movements. In addition, a doctor may misdiagnose an absence seizure as a staring spell, which does not involve changes in brain activity.
The doctor may diagnose epilepsy if the absence seizure is followed by a second one more than 24 hours later or if there is a 60%-or-higher chance of a second one.
How do you treat absence seizures?
If someone is having an absence seizure, stay with them and try to steer them away from anything that may cause them harm. Note the details about the seizure, including how long it lasts, as this information can be useful for diagnosis and the ongoing management of absence seizures.
You or your child may not need treatment, especially if the seizures are rare. However, if the seizures are frequent, a doctor may prescribe a medication. The medication works by stabilizing the electrical activity in your brain. Commonly prescribed medications include:
- ethosuximide (Zarontin)
- lamotrigine (Lamictal)
- valproic acid (Depakene)
- divalproex sodium (Depakote)
How long you or your child may need this medication will vary. You may need to try different combinations of medications or various dosages to manage the seizures. Some childhood absence epilepsies resolve in adolescence. However, lifelong treatment may be necessary.
Self-care and diet for absence seizures
Avoiding known triggers is another way to treat absence seizures. Make sure that you or your child is getting enough sleep and eating meals regularly.
Talk with a doctor about dietary therapy for epilepsy. There is some evidence to suggest that a ketogenic diet can help manage seizures. The keto diet is high in fats and low in carbohydrates, which provides more energy for the brain. A medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) diet is more flexible than a keto diet and may also help. An MCT diet includes more carbohydrates and proteins and incorporates MCT oil, which is a type of fat.
What are some coping tips for absence seizures?
You can live a full and active life with some absence epilepsies, especially with the support of medications and self-care. However, you or your child may need support in various areas of your life. Specific recommendations depend on the age of the person who is experiencing seizures. Here are some general tips:
- Communication and socializing: Talk with your child about their seizures and ensure that they get an opportunity to ask questions. Encourage them to safely take part in activities, build routines, and enjoy spending time with their family members and friends.
- Education and employment: Educate your child’s teacher and school nurse about your child’s seizures. If you are affected and you work, talk with your employer to ensure that you are safe while working. Keep in mind that the Americans with Disabilities Act covers epilepsy, according to a 2013 document from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
- Bullying and discrimination: There can be a stigma attached to having seizures. Ask your child’s teacher to talk with the class about seizures and what to do if someone has one. If you have seizures, talk with your colleagues and friends.
- Self-care: Getting enough sleep, eating regular healthy meals, and following a keto diet may help reduce your risk of experiencing a seizure. You may also need support with managing stress or anxiety.
- Driving: Check with your local state regarding the laws for driving if you have seizures. You may wish to use public transport instead.
- Online information and support groups: Connecting and talking with others who have seizures can be both helpful and reassuring. Some support groups include:
- Epilepsy Foundation
- American Epilepsy Society
- International League Against Epilepsy
What is the outlook for someone with absence seizures?
The outlook for people with absence seizures and epilepsy depends on the specific type of epilepsy and seizures the person experiences. Around 7 out of 10 people with childhood absence epilepsy will have their absence seizures under control with epilepsy medications, according to Epilepsy Action.
Absence seizures usually stop by adolescence for 57–74% of children with
childhood absence epilepsy. It is rare for absence seizures to continue into adulthood.
Other frequently asked questions
Here are some other questions that people have asked about absence seizures.
Are absence seizures dangerous?
Even though they are brief, absence seizures can be dangerous when they occur during a particular activity, such as bathing, swimming, climbing, or driving. In addition, children who experience absence seizures often have impaired attention and memory.
Who gets absence seizures?
Absence seizures occur in children more frequently than in adults. Children are usually ages 4–14 years when they start having seizures. Females tend to experience absence seizures more than males.
How often do absence seizures occur?
Absence seizures can happen regularly and frequently — from 10 to more than 30 times per day.
Can you prevent absence seizures?
You may be able to reduce the frequency of your absence seizures by avoiding your triggers, taking your prescribed medications, and sleeping and eating well.
Absence seizures occur when someone loses awareness of their surroundings for around 15 seconds. The seizures are defined by a rhythmic spike-and-wave pattern on an EEG. These seizures can occur many times per day.
Absence seizures are associated with certain types of epilepsy that tend to affect children.
Taking medications and avoiding known triggers can help reduce the frequency of absence seizures.
Source: healthgrades.com, Rebekah Louise
May 25, 2022 | Epilepsy, Epilepsy in children, Human Interest Epilepsy, Seizures
Roux Owen was just four weeks old when he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour. He underwent extensive treatment and now lives with the effects of the disease, including epilepsy. This National Epilepsy Week, his dad Antony describes the impact it has had on the family.
Roux isn’t even three yet and he’s undergone more than 10 surgeries, has a shunt, has been left blind in his left eye, has development delays and is at continued risk of tumour regrowth. On top of all that, he also has epilepsy.
Roux’s first seizure came off the back of one of his surgeries when he was three or four months old. He didn’t have another for a while, but they started again around eight months later. He’s been on various different medications and they’ve tried upping the strength of his medication, but his seizures have got worse. We’re currently investigating further, potentially building up to surgery which would hopefully make his seizures less frequent, or possibly even stop them altogether.
We’re struggling with the idea of putting Roux through more surgery if we end up going down that route. We don’t want to lose any more of him. If Roux came out of surgery with more brain damage, I don’t know if I could forgive myself.
I don’t think people are aware of how many ways a seizure can present itself and I still find it difficult to understand what kind Roux is having. He’s had absence seizures. He’s been unconscious and had full-on convulsive seizures. He had one where he was wide awake with his arm twitching and he was trying to stop it with his other arm. There was one occasion where he took a sharp intake of breath and just stopped moving. I thought he was gone. It was terrifying.
That’s one reason I’m so keen to share Roux’s story. To raise awareness of the fact that epilepsy doesn’t just take one form.
My wife Amy and I are getting better at spotting the signs of a seizure. When they first started, we were getting up every hour in the night, taking it in turns to check on Roux. It was absolutely exhausting.
We’ve bought a video monitor, as well as heart rate and oxygen monitors. We keep a constant eye on him. After Roux goes to bed, we sit on the sofa surrounded by these monitors, watching him on the iPad to check he’s ok.
At the moment, I’d say Roux’s epilepsy is harder to deal with than his brain tumour recovery. At least with his brain tumour, we know when the next MRI scan will be. We know that if there are any signs of growth, we’ll treat it. But there’s no rhyme or reason with his epilepsy; his seizures are so unpredictable. I’m terrified he’ll die in his sleep.
Despite everything he’s been through, Roux is such a happy little boy. He’s very talkative with the noises he can make and is showing signs of crawling. He gets frustrated sometimes and it’s horrible that we can’t explain to him what’s happening. I think it will get harder when he gets older.
It also affects his big brother Noah. He knows Roux has a ‘poorly head’ but we try and protect him from the rest of it. Thankfully, Noah has never seen Roux have a seizure, but he sometimes asks questions like why can’t Roux walk yet when his friends’ younger siblings can. It’s tough but he’s getting some great support at school.
The boys have an amazing relationship. Noah is so good with Roux, who follows him everywhere. Roux’s favourite thing is to go on the swings in our garden and Noah will push him or swing next to him for hours.
Amy started using Instagram to share Roux’s journey. She set up the @RouxsArmy page and it really helped her. It was a way to compartmentalise what was happening with Roux’s brain tumour journey and to move forward.
When you have a poorly child, people tend to deal with it one of two ways. Some people will stop contacting you because they don’t know what to say. Others are constantly asking for updates and you find yourself sending the same message over and over again. Social media is a way to keep everyone updated.
I also use Twitter to update people on Roux’s situation and to raise awareness. Connecting with others who’ve gone through something similar is a comfort and it gives me hope. People tell me about their child who was diagnosed with a brain tumour at a similar age to Roux and the things they have gone on to do, like graduating from uni.
We don’t know what Roux will go on to do, but having that hope is so important.
I receive messages from people from around the world telling me that Roux’s story has helped them put their own life into perspective. It’s touching to know that Roux gives others hope too.
We do have bad days when we ask ‘why us?’ Sometimes it can feel like we have no luck, and it’s easy to wallow. But those connections I’ve made help with that too. I think of those who have lost their lives to this disease – especially young people – and I realise that, despite everything we’re going through, we are lucky.
We still have Roux.
Source: braintumourresearch.org, Antony Owen
May 25, 2022 | Epilepsy, Neurology, Research, Surgery, Technology
Neurosurgeons with the University of Alabama at Birmingham have performed the first radiofrequency ablation for epilepsy in Alabama. Ablation uses heat energy to remove lesions in the brain responsible for epileptic seizures. It is a minimally invasive procedure that provides a treatment option for patients who have drug-resistant epilepsy offered through UAB Medicine.
The first procedure was performed by Kristen Riley, M.D., and Nicole Bentley, M.D., in the Department of Neurosurgery at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. Alabama native Ashley Williard was the inaugural patient.
Epilepsy diagnosis
Ashley’s journey with epilepsy began early in life when the doctors identified her mother’s negative platelet antigen while Ashley was in the womb. As a result, antibodies began attacking Ashley’s platelets, causing a brain bleed. She started experiencing balance issues around 18 months old and was diagnosed with a cyst in proximity to her brain stem soon after. She had surgery to drain the cyst, then began to have infrequent generalized seizures, which continued throughout high school.
Through it all, Ashley enjoyed ballet, swimming, cheer and tennis. She attended Troy University and earned her bachelor’s degree in hospitality, sports and tourism management.
She eventually needed medications to control her seizures, which increased in frequency to about twice a week during college. She ultimately was referred to the UAB Epilepsy Center and evaluated by Zeenat Jaisani, M.D.Zeenat Jaisani, M.D., in the Department of Neurology before meeting with Riley and Bentley in March 2021.
Treatment at UAB
A few months later, Ashley made the brave decision, alongside her care team led by Riley and Bentley, to proceed with an exploratory surgery called stereo-electroencephalography, or SEEG, to determine the location of her seizures.
“They shaved my head, drilled holes, and placed electrodes directly in my brain to monitor and determine where the seizures were coming from,” said Ashley.
She was weaned off seizure medications and monitored in the hospital for nine days.
“Day eight was very hard for me until Dr. Riley came into my room to share the good news: I was a perfect candidate for the RFA procedure!” said Ashley.
RFA is commonly performed following identification of the seizure onset zone through SEEG.
One of the electrodes precisely identified the location of the lesion responsible for the seizure activity. Riley explained to that Ashley they would use heat energy generated by a laser to ablate this particular area and there was a 50 percent chance that she would walk away seizure-free.
After the ablation is completed, a follow-up MRI scan is obtained and the laser is removed. The patient goes to the recovery room for a few hours before moving to overnight observation, prior to discharge the following day.
Life today
Since her RFA procedure, Ashley has been seizure-free for over six months.
“I will be able to drive again next month, and I am more confident knowing I can go places without having a seizure,” she said. “My family and I have a strong faith, and I consider my healing a true miracle. I prayed God would heal me, and He did. I am also thankful that I was introduced to another person during the hospital stay who had a similar experience to me. She was very supportive and was there when I needed someone to talk to. I actually gained a new friend.”
Ashley says she is beyond grateful for the UAB medical team, staff and clinicians who took care of her.
Source: uab.edu, Aubrey Joyner, Bob Shepard
May 25, 2022 | Epilepsy, Neurology, News, Seizures, Surgery
During National Epilepsy Week, our Director of Research, Policy and Innovation Dr Karen Noble highlights the connection between brain tumours and epilepsy.
Many brain tumour patients experience epileptic seizures and know the disruption these can cause. Seizures are common in patients with brain tumours and epilepsy can significantly impact patient quality of life.
Of patients with brain tumours, the frequency of epilepsy is 30% or more depending on tumour type. For 30-50% of patients with brain tumours, an epileptic seizure is the presenting clinical sign of a tumour; 10-30% will go on to experience seizures.
In patients with a brain tumour, seizures are the onset symptom in 20-40% of patients, while a further 20-45% of patients will present them during the course of the disease.
Among all tumour types, seizures are most common with glioneuronal tumours (70-80%), particularly in patients with frontotemporal or insular lesions. Seizures are also common in individuals with glioma, with the highest rates of epilepsy (60-75%) observed in patients with low-grade gliomas located in superficial cortical or insular regions. Approximately 20-50% of patients with meningioma and 20-35% of those with brain metastases also suffer from seizures.
After tumour resection, approximately 60-90% are rendered seizure-free, with most favourable seizure outcomes seen in individuals with glioneuronal tumours. Gross total resection, earlier surgical therapy, and a lack of generalized seizures are common predictors of a favourable seizure outcome.
The powerful image we’ve used today is of Roux Owen, who now lives with epilepsy as a result of a brain tumour. Read more about the impact of epilepsy on his family on our blog: A brain tumour left my child with epilepsy.
Source: braintumourresearch.org
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