For people with epilepsy, the inability to drive is often accompanied by frustration, loss of freedom, and increased dependence on others. Some countries ban people from driving for life, while others allow it after a specific amount of time passes without seizures.
Tag: Epilepsy
JMIR Neurotechnology Invites Submissions on Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs)
JMIR Publications is pleased to announce a new theme issue in JMIR Neurotechnology exploring brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that represent the transformative convergence of neuroscience, engineering, and technology.
UTHealth Houston named first-ever SCN2A Multidisciplinary Center by FamilieSCN2A Foundation
In recognition of its expertise in treating SCN2A-related neurological disorders, UTHealth Houston has been designated as the first SCN2A Multidisciplinary Center by the FamilieSCN2A Foundation, the largest global advocacy organization for the group of disorders.
Behind the wheel: Navigating driving with epilepsy
For people with epilepsy, driving is a top concern. The inability to drive often comes with frustration, a loss of freedom, and dependency on others. Regulations vary; some countries ban people with epilepsy from driving for life, while most require a specific seizure-free period.
“Talking about things that no one else will talk about”: Torie Robinson, host of Epilepsy Sparks Insights
Diagnosed with epilepsy at age 10, Torie Robinson uses her podcast to share knowledge with people with epilepsy, their families, and the public. Her episode topics range from the biochemistry of epilepsy to gastrointestinal issues and much, much more.
Book review: The Idea of Epilepsy by Simon Shorvon
In a detailed, comprehensive, and scholarly fashion, the writer takes us on a journey, using the metaphor of “The Voyage of the Good Ship Epilepsy.” As a near footnote, the author suggests in the end that the term “epilepsy” should be abolished altogether.
Dravet syndrome and the influence of the genome: Dr. Sanjay Sisodiya
Dravet syndrome is a rare, severe epilepsy caused by certain changes in the SCN1A gene. But people with Dravet have a wide range of clinical characteristics that cannot be fully explained by these changes. What else is going on?
Comment les médecins peuvent-ils encourager les personnes atteintes d’épilepsie à pratiquer une activité physique ?
Des études suggèrent que faire de l’exercice améliore la condition physique, l’humeur, la pensée et la mémoire, ainsi que la qualité de vie globale des personnes atteintes d’épilepsie – autant d’avantages qui s’appliquent également aux personnes non épileptiques.
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy, seizures, and epilepsy: Dr. Brin Freund
Sixty percent of patients with dementia on autopsy studies have cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) pathology. This episode discusses the relationship between CAA and epilepsy through the lens of a recent publication. Dr. Alina Ivaniuk talks with Dr. Brin Freund.
These Screen-printed, Flexible Sensors Allow Earbuds to Record Brain Activity and Exercise Levels
Earbuds can be turned into a tool to record the electrical activity of the brain and levels of lactate in the body with two flexible sensors screen-printed onto a flexible surface.
Largest genetic study of epilepsy to date provides new insights on why epilepsy develops and potential treatments
The largest genetic study of its kind, coordinated by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), has discovered specific changes in our DNA that increase the risk of developing epilepsy.
UTHealth Houston researcher awarded $3.1M NIH grant to study sudden unexpected death in epilepsy
A five-year, $3.1 million grant to study preventive strategies for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) has been awarded to UTHealth Houston by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
35th International Epilepsy Congress presents latest in epilepsy research and professional opportunities
The 35th International Epilepsy Congress (IEC) will take place September 2 – 6, 2023, in Dublin, Ireland. Registrants will hear from the best in global epileptology during teaching courses, symposia, and lectures hosted by the ILAE and IBE.
Caring for someone with functional seizures: Shannon Guinard’s story
Functional seizures resemble epileptic seizures but are not prompted by any electrical activity in the brain. People with functional seizures live with stigma, stress, and emotional and financial burden — and so do their care partners. Joy Mazur spoke with Shannon Guinard about the challenges and stigmas that face care partners of people with functional seizures.
Circadian rhythms and epilepsy Part II: Dr. Maxime Baud
What percentage of people with epilepsy have rhythms to their seizures? How do anti-seizure medications affect rhythms? Is it possible to manipulate seizure rhythms? In Part 2 of our two-part series on circadian rhythms, Dr. Laurent Sheybani talks with Dr. Maxime Baud.
UC San Diego Health among First in Nation to Perform Regenerative Brain Cell Procedure for Epilepsy
UC San Diego Health is among the first in the nation to perform an experimental regenerative brain cell therapy for epilepsy aimed at eliminating seizures.
An update on SUDEP and SUDEP counseling: Dr. Suvasini Sharma
Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) affects about one out of every 1,000 people with epilepsy. Dr. Emma Carter spoke with Dr. Suvasini Sharma about SUDEP, why it’s important to inform patients and families about it, and how to manage risk factors.
Caregiving in functional seizures: “Isolated, alone, helpless”
People with functional seizures face stigma, stress, and emotional and financial burdens — and so do their caregivers. While taking care of loved ones, some caregivers may develop high levels of depression and anxiety.
Artificial intelligence and epilepsy: Dr. Christian Bosselmann
What’s the role of artificial intelligence in epilepsy research and care? Dr. Alina Ivaniuk talks with Dr. Christian Bosselmann about the potential uses and dangers of AI in epilepsy, including ChatGPT and machine learning.
Fasting during Ramadan may reduce seizure frequency
For Muslims with epilepsy, intermittent fasting is not only a highly valued religious practice but a possible method to improve seizure control. The findings of a recent study may be able to guide epilepsy professionals in advising Muslims who want to participate in Ramadan.
Neurocysticercosis and epileptogenesis: Dr. Hector Garcia
Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of epilepsy worldwide. Sharp Waves spoke to Dr. Hector Garcia about how to identify epilepsy caused by the infection and the nuances behind the connection.
Closing the epilepsy treatment gap in Bolivia: Three decades of initiatives
Over the past three decades, researchers have worked to close the epilepsy treatment gap in the Gran Chaco area of Bolivia. Projects include epidemiological surveys, awareness campaigns, and educational programs. Teleconsultations and a smartphone app have been valuable tools.
Alcohol Use, Even at Low Levels, Increases Risk of Developing Disease
Even low levels of alcohol use can increase the likelihood of developing diseases like cancer and heart disease. A systematic review of studies of the relationship between alcohol use and risk of disease published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found that disease risk increases as alcohol use increases and high levels of alcohol use have clear detrimental health effects. While lower-level alcohol use can be protective against certain diseases, it can have significant adverse health effects for many other diseases. The authors urge greater awareness that any level of alcohol use can increase a person’s risk of developing serious, even fatal, diseases.
Africa’s plans for improving epilepsy care: Action Amos
ILAE spoke with Action Amos about plans and strategies for improving epilepsy care across Africa. Leveraged by the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders (IGAP), four “trendsetter” countries are taking a variety of approaches to engage governments and ensure the participation of people with epilepsy in all of their initiatives.
Silicon nose: Small sensor “smells” incipient seizures
Sandia National Laboratories and research partner Know Biological have developed a miniaturized sensor system that can detect the specific gases released from the skin of people with epilepsy before a seizure.
Diagnosis in the digital age: A case for home videos
Video has played an important role in epilepsy care for decades. Now, seizures captured on smartphone video can speed diagnosis and treatment, particularly in areas with few or no neurologists.
Bringing epilepsy care closer to home may improve outcomes
Access to care affects people with epilepsy worldwide. Bringing care closer to home can help—but what about bringing care inside the home?
Postpartum morbidity and mortality in women with epilepsy: A 28-year study
A 28-year study found increased risks of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, ICU admission during hospitalization for delivery, postpartum hospitalization, and an increased risk of mortality compared with pregnant women who did not have epilepsy.
Children With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Live Longer After Cranial Surgery
Survival rate beyond 10 years in children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) was highest after cranial epilepsy surgery and lowest when treated only with antiseizure medications, according to a study published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health. This large, retrospective study was the first to compare long-term survival in children with DRE among cohorts treated with medications only, vagus nerve stimulation plus medications, and cranial epilepsy surgery plus medications. Results show that risk of early death was reduced by over 80 percent after surgery and by 40 percent after vagus nerve stimulation, compared to medication-only treatment.
Deep-brain stimulation during sleep strengthens memory
This study provides provides the first physiological evidence from inside the human brain supporting the dominant scientific theory on how the brain consolidates memory during sleep. Further, deep-brain stimulation during a critical time in the sleep cycle appeared to improve memory consolidation.
Managing epilepsy in older adults
What special considerations must physicians make when managing epilepsy in older adults? Who is considered an “older adult,” anyway? Dr. Anca Arbune interviews two authors of a recent critical review by an ILAE task force.
Soutenir les personnes atteintes d’épilepsie aves des outils pour réduire la stigmatisation
La stigmatisation affecte tous les aspects des soins de l’épilepsie, du diagnostic au traitement en passant par la législation et aux allocations budgétaires. Elle affecte la vie des personnes atteintes d’épilepsie lorsqu’elles n’ont pas un accès égal à l’éducation, à l’emploi et aux mêmes droits sociaux.
Tiempo, educación, persistencia para reducir la brecha en el tratamiento de la epilepsia: la historia de China
El Plan de Acción Mundial Intersectorial sobre Epilepsia y Otros Trastornos Neurológicos (IGAP) tiene como objetivo reducir las brechas de diagnóstico y tratamiento de la epilepsia en todo el mundo para 2031. Muchas personas en la comunidad de la epilepsia se preguntan: “¿Cómo hacemos mejorar el acceso a la atención?”
Empowering people with epilepsy to lead the way in reducing stigma
Stigma affects all aspects of epilepsy care. It affects the lives of people with epilepsy when they are not given equal access to education, employment, and social opportunities. In a US study, one-third of respondents identified stigma—not seizures—as the most difficult part of living with epilepsy.
Moving epilepsy care closer to home: Dr. Gagandeep Singh and Dr. Meenakshi Sharma
Can bringing epilepsy care to people’s homes improve outcomes? ILAE spoke with two researchers who conducted a randomized trial of home-based care versus clinic-based care in northern India. Those receiving the home-based care, delivered by community health workers, had better outcomes.
SMU Biosciences professor receives NIH grant for research on epilepsy
An estimated 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, making them 16 times more likely to die suddenly compared to the general population. SMU biology researcher Edward Glasscock has received a 5-year, $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for a study that he hopes will lead to the identification of biomarkers to help identify people at risk for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, known as SUDEP.
For People with Epilepsy, Neighborhood May Be Tied to Memory, Mental Health
People with epilepsy living in disadvantaged neighborhoods—areas with higher poverty levels and fewer educational and employment opportunities— may be more likely to have memory, thinking, and mental health problems compared to people with epilepsy living in neighborhoods with fewer disadvantages, according to new research published in the April 19, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does not prove that living in disadvantaged neighborhoods causes memory and mental health problems. It only shows an association.
Comment les soins de santé primaires peuvent-ils aider à combler les lacunes dans le traitement de l’épilepsie? Un voyage à travers l’Andhra Pradesh, Inde
Le rôle des soins de santé primaires dans l’identification, le diagnostic et le traitement des personnes atteintes d’épilepsie est de plus en plus important. Cependant, les attitudes sociétales et la stigmatisation entourant l’épilepsie peuvent constituer des obstacles majeurs à l’amélioration des soins.
Tratamiento inadecuado de primera línea para el estado epiléptico: el problema y las soluciones
A pesar de las directrices, el tratamiento de primera línea para el estado epiléptico a menudo es inadecuado. Los estudios sugieren que hasta dos tercios de los pacientes reciben dosis subclínicas de benzodiazepinas, ya sea antes de llegar a un hospital o durante el tratamiento hospitalario de emergencia. ¿Hay soluciones?
In Epilepsy, Higher Risk of Early Death Varies Based on Severity, Other Factors
A new study has found that people with epilepsy have an increased risk of early death and the increased risk varies depending on where they live, the number of medications they take and what other diseases they may have. The study is published in the March 22, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
UCSF Neurologist Recognized for Innovative Epilepsy Research
Jon Kleen, MD, PhD, UC San Francisco neurologist, epileptologist and neuroscientist, has been chosen by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) to receive its 2023 Dreifuss-Penry Epilepsy Award. He is being honored for his outstanding contributions in clinical research and leadership in the treatment of epilepsy.
Potential Treatment Target for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Identified
A new study by Tufts University researchers found a molecule that could be a target for treatment in patients who have become resistant to traditional anti-seizure drugs
Shining a light on stigma and discrimination in epilepsy
Stigma leads to discrimination and can affect all aspects of a person’s life. Dr. Bruna Nucera talked with Mary Secco from the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) about addressing stigma through listening to people with epilepsy and their lived experiences.
Sleep and epilepsy: Dr. Birgit Frauscher
Bidirectional links between epilepsy and sleep have been known for thousands of years. Despite nearly a century of research using EEG investigations, the relationships are still not well understood.
Study: Seizures can be predicted more than 30 minutes before onset in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy
Seizures can be predicted more than 30 minutes before onset in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, opening the door to a therapy using electrodes that could be activated to prevent seizures from happening, according to new research from UTHealth Houston.
Henry Ford Medical Group Appoints Dr. Brien J. Smith to Top Neurology Role
The Henry Ford Medical Group today announced Brien J. Smith, M.D., MBA, a national expert in neurology and epilepsy, as its new Chair of the Department of Neurology.
Potential Treatment Target for Rare Form of Infant Epilepsy Identified
New research from Tufts University School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences suggests that the timing of the death of certain inhibitory neurons in the brain shortly after birth may be at least partly to blame for infantile spasms syndrome (ISS), a rare but devastating form of epilepsy that develops most frequently between four and eight months of age but can emerge within weeks of birth until ages 4 or 5.
Your Neighborhood May Affect Your Survival from Stroke, Other Neurologic Conditions
People living in disadvantaged neighborhoods—areas with higher poverty levels and fewer educational and employment opportunities—had an increased risk of dying within a month of being hospitalized for stroke, epilepsy and other neurologic diseases compared to people living in neighborhoods with fewer disadvantages, according to new research published in the February 15, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Don’t Let Epilepsy Go Unchecked
Many think of epilepsy, a neurological disorder affecting 3.4 million Americans, as a chronic condition marked by occasional seizures. But the disease can be deadly, so it is essential for patients to get their seizures under control with proper treatment, said Lisa Bateman, MD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Health System Surgical Epilepsy Program.
Traitement de première intention inapproprié de l’état de mal épileptique : problématique et solutions
Malgré les recommandations, le traitement de première intention de l’état de mal épileptique est souvent inapproprié. Des études suggèrent que jusqu’à deux tiers des patients reçoivent des doses subcliniques de benzodiazépines, soit avant d’arriver à l’hôpital, soit pendant un traitement hospitalier d’urgence. Existe-t-il des solutions ?