NEWS
Big data analysis suggests role of brain connectivity in epilepsy-related atrophy
Large multi-site study accurately predicts damage to grey matter by disease. An international study has found a link between the brain's network connections and grey matter atrophy caused by certain types of epilepsy, a major step forward in our understanding of the...
First Guidelines for Keto Diets in Adults With Epilepsy Released
n international panel of experts has published the first set of recommendations based on current clinical practices and scientific evidence for using ketogenic diet therapies (KDTs) in adults with drug-resistant epilepsy. Just as in children with epilepsy, KDTs can be...
Yale study gets closer to understanding causes of severe treatment-resistant epilepsy
A recent study by researchers at the Yale School of Medicine found that mice injected with similar gene mutations as humans who have some severe forms of epilepsy also exhibited very similar brain malformations as the humans. The researchers investigated two severe...
Late-Onset Epilepsy Tied to a Threefold Increased Dementia Risk
Late-onset epilepsy is linked to a substantial increased risk of subsequent dementia. Results of a retrospective analysis show that patients who develop epilepsy at age 67 or older have a threefold increased risk of subsequent dementia vs their counterparts without...
Identifying the genetic cause of epilepsy using whole genome sequencing could lead to better disease management.
When discussing a diagnosis of epilepsy, advances in genetic testing are proving that it is indeed all about the details. Comprehensive genetic testing is making it possible to drill down into those details. When testing is based on whole genome sequencing (WGS)...
Epilepsy and seizure disorder awareness
Epilepsy is a neurologic disorder that affects 3 million Americans and nearly 65 million people worldwide. Unprovoked seizures that affect people of all ages are a hallmark of epilepsy. November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month. Education and awareness are key...
Ring 20: Could the rare disease get left behind by next-generation gene sequencing?
Ring Chromosome 20 Syndrome, or (R)20, is an ultra-rare form of epilepsy with a devastating impact – yet despite huge leaps forward in gene sequencing in recent years, diagnoses are going down instead of up. We spoke to Allison Watson, co-founder of Ring 20 Research...
Baby Twitching in Sleep: Is This Normal?
You’re lovingly watching your baby peacefully snooze (finally!) when suddenly you notice they’re twitching. You might think that the tiny twitches you see in your baby are a response to a dream. You might worry that they’re some kind of seizure. But hold on, because...
Scientists find brain abnormalities in COVID-19 patients
Washington, Oct 28 (PTI) An analysis of more than 80 studies reporting complications experienced by COVID-19 patients has revealed that about one-third of them have abnormalities in the frontal lobe of the brain, findings which shed light on the neurological symptoms...
Free epilepsy app ‘Epsy’ launched!
From to time we share something that we feel can be of benefit to our readers. A ground-breaking new epilepsy app, Epsy, which helps users take control of their condition has been launched on iOS and Android FOR FREE in the USA. Modern healthcare and technologies are...
Hard-to-Detect Form of Epilepsy Can Lead to Car Crashes
The most common form of epilepsy is a risk factor for car crashes, yet it can have such subtle symptoms that it often goes undiagnosed for an extended period of time, even years. Researchers said the failure to recognize symptoms of subtle seizures is the main reason...
Better Outcomes after Epilepsy Surgery in Kids with Poor Seizure Control
Epilepsy surgery in children with refractory epilepsy, who have poor seizure control with medications, results in better outcomes, according to a study published in the journal Neurosurgery. Better outcomes with surgery include reduced antiepileptic medication use,...
Medical school curriculum lacks EEG, epilepsy training
Medial student curriculum needs to include more training for EEG and epilepsy, according to researchers. “We reviewed the neurological curriculum, and realized that it does not involve EEG, which is electroencephalography, at all,” Vinita J. Acharya, MD, an...
Novel discoveries in preventing epileptic seizures
A team of researchers from the Florida State University College of Medicine has found that an amino acid produced by the brain could play a crucial role in preventing a type of epileptic seizure. Temporal lobe epileptic seizures are debilitating and can cause lasting...
Study identifies brain cells most affected by epilepsy and new targets for their treatment
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. It is caused by a malfunction in brain cells and is usually treated with medicines that control or counteract the seizures. Scientists from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen...
Preparing Adolescents With Epilepsy to Manage Care through Adulthood
Assessment tool helps doctors ensure adolescents and young adults with epilepsy have the skills and confidence they need to take control of seizures and health care. As children with epilepsy get older, managing their own care is critical to their independence,...
Most Parents Unaware Flu Vaccine More Important This Year
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's more important than ever to get an influenza vaccine this year, yet only 1 in 3 parents know this, a survey found. In addition, fewer than half of parents said their child's usual healthcare provider had strongly...
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University Developed Wearable Device for Predicting Epileptic Seizures
The system, based on machine learning algorithms for analyzing EEG signals, can predict upcoming seizures up to an hour prior to onset NeuroHelp, a newly founded startup that licensed and is developing the technology, is a portfolio company of Oazis accelerator,...
Polytherapy, improved medication adherence reduce risk for SUDEP in Swedish cohort
Polytherapy, especially the use of three or more antiepileptic drugs, correlated with a substantially decreased risk for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, according to findings from a nationwide case-control study conducted in Sweden. The findings, which were...
I hid my epilepsy for years because I was scared I would be picked on.
A seizure is hard to describe; it’s as if someone has hacked into you – like a computer – and, however much you struggle, has taken full control. You’re in a complete state of inability while your body goes through a turbulent episode. A few days after my eighth...