With outposts in nearly every organ and a direct line into the brain stem, the vagus nerve is the nervous system’s superhighway. About 80 percent of its nerve fibers — or four of its five “lanes” — drive information from the body to the brain. Its fifth lane runs in the opposite direction, shuttling signals […]
‘Electronic skin’ equipped with memory Wearable sensor stores and transmits motion data and delivers drugs. Researchers have created a wearable device that is as thin as a temporary tattoo and can store and transmit data about a person’s movements, receive diagnostic information and release drugs into skin. Similar efforts to develop ‘electronic skin’ abound, but […]
Brain scans of people in a coma may help predict who will regain consciousness, according to a study published in the November 11, 2015, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study looked at connections between areas of the brain that play a role in regulating consciousness. For […]
With consistent treatment adherence, most people with epilepsy can even enjoy competitive sports. As an outstanding 15-year-old athlete, Nolan loved to play football. He enjoyed the competition, the camaraderie, and the focus and discipline of being on the team. He also relished the demanding training and exercise, which made him strong and physically fit. Like […]
Following FDA approval of the AspireSR® generator for the VNS Therapy® system inJune 2015, more than a thousand patients with drug-resistant epilepsy across the United States have received this new treatment option. Many of these patients are experiencing benefits which have positively impacted their lives – and are sharing their stories during Epilepsy Awareness Month […]
Although focal epilepsies generally have not been considered to be genetic disorders, an international team led by researchers from the University of South Australia in Adelaide has uncovered evidence that a genetic component indeed exists. After identifying an association between DEPDC5gene mutations and familial focal epilepsy,1 the researchers turned their sights to the DEPDC5’sGATOR1 protein […]
