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Epilepsy Neurology / Neuroscience Pediatrics / Children’s Health Childhood-onset epilepsy has long-term effects on patients’ health and social status
Children and adolescents with epilepsy experience significant long-term socioeconomic consequences and higher personal health care costs. The findings come from a study that followed young epilepsy patients until 30 years of age. The study - which included more than...
Eisai Launches New Oral Suspension Formulation for Antiepileptic Drug Fycompa (Perampanel) in the United States
As Adjunctive Therapy for the Treatment of Partial-Onset Seizures and Primary Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures in Patients with Epilepsy Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that it has launched Fycompa (perampanel) Oral Suspension, a new formulation of its...
Researchers aim to explore whether cell transplantation can treat temporal lobe epilepsy
Researchers at Cardiff University's School of Medicine are about to explore whether it's possible to treat human temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) by transplanting immature neuron cells into the brain. The new project, funded by a 24-month pilot grant from Epilepsy...
Autism Epilepsy Links between autism and epilepsy deepen
Over recent years, medical research has uncovered a number of links between autism and epilepsy. The latest study investigating this relationship demonstrates that having a relative with epilepsy is a risk factor for autism. Family links between autism and epilepsy...
Researchers discover why stress leads to increased seizures in epilepsy patients
For epilepsy patients, stress and anxiety can exacerbate their condition; increasing the frequency and severity of seizures. Until now, it was unclear why this happened and what could be done to prevent it. In a study published today in the journal Science Signaling,...
Smart Outfit for Epilepsy Diagnosis
European Health Services have approved for use a shirt and cap that can diagnose epilepsy quickly and easily. "Smart" clothing, implants and wearables truly are the future of medical care. Excerpt from full story at NewScientist.com: A shirt and cap that can diagnose...
Possible Benefits of Tarantula Venom?
In a recent study, a specific peptide was found in spider venom that could have vast implications for our understanding of the pain mechanism and may have uses for treating epilepsy! The first use being investigated is for combating IBS. Full article posted below:...
FDA Simplifies Compassionate Use Application and Drug Costs
As promised, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has simplified the form physicians use to request investigational compassionate use drugs when all other options have been exhausted — while also offering guidance on how much the drugs should cost. On June 2, the...
Experimental Collar Minimizes Effects of Concussion
BOSTON — An experimental collar reduces signs of brain damage in athletes who play contact sports, researchers report. "This device clearly has potential to reduce the effects of concussions," said Amit Reches, PhD, from ElMindA, a brain imaging company in Herzliya,...
The Correlation of Music and Epilepsy
By EpilepsyU Guest Author: Marie Miguel Did you know that about 20 to 40 percent of epilepsy patients have DRE or drug-resistant epilepsy? That’s about 400,000 Americans! Some also refer to this condition as intractable, uncontrolled, refractory, or pharmacoresistant...
SUDEP Rate Lower in Epilepsy Patients After VNS
Results of a large long-term study suggest that patients with drug-resistant epilepsy treated with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) have a reduced risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). "It appears reasonable to conclude that VNS treatment in the long term...
To understand the brain, it helps to make a computer model of one
One of the greatest challenges of engineering, science and medicine is to understand the brain, which is the most complex organ and system known to humans. A lot is already understood about how individual neurons and their components behave (the microscopic scale). A...
Long-term Benzodiazepine Use: No Risk for Cognitive Decline?
There is no link between long-term benzodiazepine use, defined as use for 6 months or longer, and increased deposition of beta-amyloid in the brain or cognitive decline in elderly patients who are without dementia, a small study suggests. (Clonazepam is the most...
The brain needs to ‘clean itself up’ so that it can ‘sort itself out’
When neurons die, their remains need to be eliminated quickly so that the surrounding brain tissue can continue functioning. A type of highly specialised cell known as microglia is responsible for this process which is called phagocytosis (derived from the Greek...
Antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy: Folic acid could help to prevent autism
If pregnant women take antiepileptic drugs, the child can develop autistic traits. The administration of folic acid preparations appears to be a suitable means of preventing this serious side-effect. This finding is suggested by a Norwegian study presented at the...
New ‘Brain Food’ Scale Flags Best Nutrients for Depression
In many cases of epilepsy, depression as well as autism, ADHD and anxiety may be present.Vegan's and Vegetarian's also beware. Scientists have developed a new evidence-based scale that rates animal- and plant-based foods that improve depressive symptoms. Research on...
JBCPP journal publishes new evidence for clinical efficacy of cannabis therapy
New evidence for the clinical efficacy of cannabis therapy is presented in the latest issue of the Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology (JBCPP), a De Gruyter publication. The authors have studied cannabis therapy for many years at international...
Coping with epilepsy: Planning ahead for a child’s future
Bob and Pam’s daughter Jessica began having seizures on her second day of life. Over the years that followed, she continued to experience seizures and developmental delays, but her doctors were unable to provide a definitive diagnosis. Her family finally received...
Exercise May Reduce Severity of Brain Disorders
In a new study published today in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, scientists from the University of Guelph have found that exercise has the potential to decrease toxic build-up in the brain, reducing the severity of brain disorders such as Huntington's...
Drug Used for Pain, Anxiety May Be Linked to Birth Defects
The drug pregabalin (Lyrica, Pfizer), commonly used to treat pain, epilepsy, anxiety and other brain health disorders, may be associated with an increased risk for major birth defects (Neurology 2016 May 18. [Epub ahead of print]). Pregabalin is approved by the FDA to...
