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: Seizures
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.
Summer Safety: Keeping Your Cool in the Heat
Climate change has supersized summer heat this year, with Southern California expected to again reach more than 100 degrees mid-month. Along with the rise in outdoor temperatures, physicians are seeing an increase in heat-related illnesses following weeks of unrelenting hot weather.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Coming Together to Improve Epilepsy Patient Care
Cedars-Sinai and its affiliate Huntington Health are collaborating on a new Epilepsy Monitoring Unit to bring treatment and care closer to epilepsy patients in the San Gabriel Valley
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.
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 ?
Exercise is beneficial for people with epilepsy. Many physicians still don’t encourage it.
Other than in rare cases, physical activity does not increase the risk for seizures in people with epilepsy. But people with epilepsy are less active than the general population and have poorer objective physical fitness than the general population. How can we change that?
Como puede la atencion primaria de salud ayudar a cerrar la brecha en el tratamiento de la epilepsia? Un viaje por Andhra Pradesh, India
Un equipo de investigadores visito dos centros de atencion primaria de salud en Bhimaravam para evaluar la atencion proporcionada a las personas con epilepsia a traves del sistema de atencion primaria de salud.
Automated epilepsy lesion detection on MRI: The MELD Project
In this episode of Sharp Waves, the ILAE podcast, Dr. Maryam Nabavi Nouri talks with Dr. Konrad Wagstyl about the MELD Project, an open-science consortium using deep learning principles to develop automated lesion detection of clinical MRI data.
International recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE)
First-line immunotherapy and the ketogenic diet are two main recommendations for treatment of NORSE of unknown cause, according to results from an international consensus group. Dr. Maryam Nabavi Nouri interviews first author Dr. Ronny Wickstrom.
How can primary health care help to close the epilepsy treatment gap? A journey through Andhra Pradesh, India
Hours from the nearest city in India, down a pothole-studded road framed by fish farms, primary care centers in Andra Pradesh provide service to tens of thousands of people. How do these centers care for people with epilepsy, and what challenges do they face?
Podcast: Nursing roles and value in epilepsy care
Nurses play crucial roles in epilepsy care, but their perspectives and voices are often missing. The ILAE Nursing Section is a “home” for nurses around the world who care for people with epilepsy. Sharp Waves talked to section leaders.
La Section des soins infirmiers vise à répondre aux besoins des infirmières en matière de soins de l’épilepsie dans le monde entier
À l’automne 2021, la section des soins infirmiers de l’ILAE a été créée pour créer un « foyer » pour les infirmières du monde entier qui s’occupent de personnes atteintes d’épilepsie.
Inadequate first-line treatment for status epilepticus: The issue and solutions
A benzodiazepine is the first-line treatment of choice for status epilepticus. Despite guidelines from 2012 and 2016 thta recommend medication types, doses, and means of administration, benzodiazepines are often underdosed, or not given at all.
The value of epilepsy specialty nurses: Taking action
Nurses who care for people with epilepsy fulfill dozens of roles, helping people to navigate clinical, educational, emotional, and social dimensions of epilepsy. But the depth, breadth, and impact of these roles is not always recognized.
Study Finds Risk of Seizures Is Higher After COVID-19 Than After Influenza
People who have a COVID-19 infection are more likely to develop seizures or epilepsy within the next six months than people who have an influenza infection, according to a study published in the November 16, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
La encuesta de ILAE destaca las preocupaciones globales sobre los medicamentos genéricos anticrisis
Los neurólogos de todo el mundo tienen preocupaciones sobre el uso de medicamentos genéricos anticrisis, cuestionando la calidad deficiente o inconsistente, el acceso limitado, el costo y la falta de control regulatorio.
Podcast: Epilepsy medications during pregnancy may affect infant development
A recent study reported data from more than 1,300 infants whose mothers are enrolled in the Kerala Registry of Epilepsy in Pregnancy. Babies were evaluated for mental and motor development at 1 year of age.
Career development profile: Dr. Meriem Bensalem-Owen
From medical training during a civil war to starting Kentucky’s first epilepsy fellowship program, Dr. Meriem Bensalem-Owen talks with Sharp Waves about her career journey.
Functional, nonepileptic seizures show structural abnormalities in brain scans, study shows
For a long time, functional, nonepileptic seizures were not believed to involve structural changes in the brain, but a new study suggests that they are associated with structural changes that can be seen using MRI. Researchers say the findings bring potential for earlier diagnosis of functional seizures, which are often misdiagnosed as epilepsy.
What is autoimmune-associated epilepsy: Dr. Claude Steriade
What is autoimmune-associated epilepsy, and how is it different from acute seizures with an autoimmune cause? How can clinicians best diagnose and treat these conditions? Sharp Waves reporter Dr. Maryam Nabavi-Nouri spoke with Dr. Claude Steriade.
Engineering Research Provides Non-Invasive Solutions for Diagnosing and Treating Neurological and Psychiatric Conditions
Could artificial intelligence help solve the mental health crisis? What if an algorithm allowed neurologists to know the area affected by a brain seizure? These are just a few of the questions that Maryam Ravan, Ph.D., assistant professor of electrical and…
COVID-19 and people with epilepsy: The latest on infection risk and vaccines
Does COVID-19 infection affect people with epilepsy differently? Are people with epilepsy less likely to get vaccinated? A session at the European Epilepsy Congress in July 2022 covered these topics, and more.
Wiley and ILAE deliver knowledge on epilepsy syndromes
Wiley and ILAE launched the Epilepsy Knowledge Hub to provide health care professionals with the latest research and guidelines to aid in diagnosis, classification, and treatment for people with epilepsy syndromes.
ILAE survey highlights global concerns about generic anti-seizure medications
Neurologists worldwide have concerns about the use of generic anti-seizure medications, including poor or inconsistent quality, limited access, cost, and lack of regulatory control, according to a global survey of health care professionals.
Podcast: Menstrual cycles influence seizures in most women with epilepsy
The menstrual cycle influences seizure frequency in about two-thirds of women with epilepsy. This podcast episode explores the impact of sex hormones on epilepsy, including why some women experience fertility problems or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Doctors with Texas Comprehensive Epilepsy Program lead 22-year-old Tyler resident to seizure freedom
Elisabeth Gentry had experienced auras ever since she was a toddler, but she didn’t learn that the occasional strange tastes in her mouth and feelings of impending doom were epilepsy until 2015, when she was 15 years old and suffered a grand mal seizure.
La formation conviviale des enseignants sur l’épilepsie trouve également un public bienvenu chez les parents, les neurologues
En Ontario, au Canada, un groupe de psychologues et de membres d’un organisme communautaire de soutien à l’épilepsie discutait depuis longtemps de la nécessité d’une éducation sur l’épilepsie pour les enseignants.
Podcast: Life as a medical student with epilepsy
We talk with a third-year medical student, a neurology researcher, an avid rock climber, and a young man with epilepsy who had a responsive neurostimulator (RNS) implanted last year. The catch: They’re all the same person.
Podcast episode: Creating epilepsy-smart schools in India
Children spend a lot of time in school, and that includes children with epilepsy. But most teachers don’t receive training in what epilepsy is, what seizures look like, or what to do if a student has a seizure.
Epilepsy education in India: Teacher training project aims to address stigma, increase inclusion
Schools can be important for epilepsy screening, as well as awareness of seizure first aid and basic knowledge. In a rural area of Punjab, a three-year project of surveys and training activities aimed to increase knowledge and dispel myths and misconceptions.
Teaching teachers about epilepsy: Intervention also benefits students, parents, neurologists
Though children spend many hours in school, their teachers often don’t have knowledge about epilepsy. Many are afraid of having students with epilepsy in their classes, which can be a barrier to both effective learning and student inclusion.
World Health Organization unanimously approves plan to improve epilepsy care, reduce stigma
On 27 May 2022, World Health Organization Member States unanimously approved the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and other Neurological Disorders (IGAP) at the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
Addressing status epilepticus management in low-resource regions: “Where do we fit in?”
Low-resource areas face multiple challenges to diagnosing and treating long-lasting seizures, or status epilepticus. We talked with neurologists in four countries about how status epilepticus is managed in their areas.