NEWS
A new DNA test will look for 190 diseases in your newborn’s genetic code
But not all parents may want to know the results. Using a swab of saliva from a newborn’s cheek, a new DNA test will probe the baby’s genes to search for 193 genetic diseases, like anemia, epilepsy, and metabolic disorders. The $649 test is meant for healthy...
Infant’s scores on Apgar scale can predict risk of cerebral palsy or epilepsy
An infant's scores on the so-called Apgar scale can predict the risk of a later diagnosis of cerebral palsy or epilepsy. The risk rises with decreasing Apgar score, but even slightly lowered scores can be linked to a higher risk of these diagnoses, according to an...
British doctors prepare to implant ‘three-parent’ embryos in women
Doctors at Britain’s Newcastle University have selected two women to bear implanted embryos created from genetic material collected from three parents. Both women carry gene mutations causing a rare condition known as “myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red...
A Tiny Pulse Of Electricity Can Help The Brain Form Lasting Memories
A little electrical brain stimulation can go a long way in boosting memory. The key is to deliver a tiny pulse of electricity to exactly the right place at exactly the right moment, a team reports in Tuesday's Nature Communications. "We saw a 15 percent...
Stopping Epilepsy Before It Starts?
“Being able to identify that a person is likely to develop epilepsy following a brain injury is one of the most important focus areas in modern-day epilepsy research,” says Dr. Laura Lubbers, CURE’s Chief Scientific Officer. “With 3.4 million Americans suffering from...
Researchers move closer to solving puzzle of 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome
Researchers are closer to solving the puzzle of a complex neurological condition called 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome. Individuals with this condition are missing a small piece of chromosome 15 that usually contains six genes, but which one of the genes is...
Engineer Locates Brain’s Seizure Onset Zone In Record Time
University of Houston biomedical engineer is reporting a dramatic decrease in the time it takes to detect the seizure onset zone (SOZ), the actual part of the brain that causes seizures, in patients with epilepsy. Nearly 30 percent of epilepsy patients are...
Brain folding sheds light on neurological diseases, researchers find
It may seem unlikely that studying the mechanics of concrete would inform brain research. However, Ellen Kuhl, mechanical engineering professor and head researcher for the Living Matter Lab, started out studying the molecular interactions of concrete and is now...
Embrace by Empatica is the world’s first smart watch to be cleared by FDA for use in Neurology
Empatica Inc has received clearance from the FDA for Embrace, its award-winning smart watch. Embrace uses AI (advanced machine learning) to monitor for the most dangerous kinds of seizures, known as "grand mal" or "generalized tonic-clonic" seizures, and send an alert...
Individual patient data allow researchers to study brain function using detailed simulations
Using patient measurement data, researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Berlin Institute of Health have refined a brain modeling platform called the Virtual Brain. The software has been used in projects and publications across the globe. The...
Her Seizures Looked Like Epilepsy, But Her Brain Looked Fine
When Sarah Jay had her first seizure, she was in her mid-20s and working a high-stress job at a call center in Springfield, Mo. “I was going to go on break,” she says. “I was heading towards the bathroom and then I fell and passed out.” An ambulance took Jay to...
What is the Brain Sentinel® Monitoring and Alerting System?
What is the Brain Sentinel® Monitoring and Alerting System? The Brain Sentinel® Monitoring and Alerting System (known as the SPEAC system) gathers accurate and comprehensive data about convulsive (clonic) seizures. This data helps physicians know the seizure...
Graduate Student Uses Artificial Intelligence AI to Advance Epilepsy Research
Artificial intelligence may be the next great medical tool for those with epilepsy, according to a research project done by Ph.D candidate Yogatheesan Varatharajah. His research with AI resulted in a technique that can identify the brain regions that generate...
Deep Learning Device Can Predict Epileptic Seizures
Imagine going about your daily life, working, shopping, and driving, knowing that you might have a seizure at any moment. But relief is on the horizon, as researchers from the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia have developed a potentially life-saving deep...
Autism? All You Need To Know About It.
About 1% of adults have Autism and autism is much more common in boys than in girls, with a male: female ratio of 4:1 Autism is a developmental disorder in which affected persons have problems with their emotions and behaviors, as well as delays in their social...
New genetic test can predict adverse reactions to epilepsy drug
A study led by researchers at RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) has identified a new genetic test that can be used to predict if a patient with epilepsy will develop an adverse reaction to a common anti-epileptic drug. The finding will help inform doctors to...
Cannabidiol reduces seizures in treatment-resistant epilepsy
Cannabidiol is an effective and generally well-tolerated add-on treatment for drop seizures in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, according to research published in The Lancet. “Patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a rare, severe form of epileptic...
Yet More Good News for GW Pharma’s Cannabinoid Drug Against Epilepsy
New data in The Lancet provides further support for GW Pharma’s drug, Epidiolex, for the treatment of a rare form of epilepsy. GW Pharmaceuticals has achieved encouraging Phase III results for Epidiolex, which have been published in leading scientific journal,...
Who’s This? -Can’t Recall A Famous Person’s Name? Blame Your Left Brain
The study – led by University of Manchester psychologists – is the first of its kind to assess the similarities and differences in how the left and right sides of the brain process semantic memory. The research, led by Dr Grace Rice and Professor Matthew Lambon Ralph...
Cannabis: Brain alterations may explain feelings of alienation
New research has revealed altered brain activity in young adults with cannabis addiction. The findings suggest a mechanism that may explain why the risk of depression and other mental health issues is higher among those who use the drug. Heavy cannabis use may lead to...
