November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about this common disorder of the nervous system, its challenges, symptoms and treatment options.
Before surgery, people with epilepsy undergo evaluation, extensive testing, and lots of time with medical teams. But some professionals and advocates argue that after surgery, people are unfairly left to manage treatment and care without much help or guidance.
Parents often miss the signs that their child has epilepsy, according to Deborah Holder, MD, a neurologist at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s and a pediatric epilepsy expert.
Jusqu'à la moitié des personnes atteintes d'épilepsie résistante aux médicaments (EFR) peuvent bénéficier d'une intervention chirurgicale. Cependant, dans de nombreuses régions à faibles ressources, la mise en place d'un programme chirurgical nécessite de faire face à de multiples défis, notamment la stigmatisation, le manque de ressources, une formation inadéquate et un financement insuffisant.
For people with epilepsy, doing yoga may help reduce feelings of stigma about the disease along with reducing seizure frequency and anxiety, according to new research published in the November 8, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Lisa Lindahl’s uncontrolled epilepsy forced her to get creative when it came to employment. In 1977 she invented the sports bra, which changed the lives of billions of women and girls around the world and is now a multi-billion-dollar global market.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has launched a new clinical trial to investigate a potential treatment for Dup15q syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy.
Sara Staggs was a civil rights attorney when her doctors told her to stop practicing law: her seizures had become too frequent. Staggs' new novel, "Uncontrollable," fictionalizes her experience and explores the impact of epilepsy.
Up to half of people with drug-resistant epilepsy can benefit from surgery, but fewer than one in four low- and middle-income countries can offer surgery as a treatment. Challenges include limited resources and education, and stigma.
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?
Le Plan d’action mondial intersectoriel sur l'épilepsie et les autres troubles neurologiques vise à réduire les écarts diagnostiques et de thérapeutiques de l'épilepsie dans le monde d'ici 2031. Mais dans la pratique, comment améliorer la prise en charge ?
Réduire la distance géographique entre les soins de l’épilepsie, les médicaments anticonvulsivants et les personnes atteintes d’épilepsie peut améliorer les résultats, selon un essai randomisé en grappes dans le nord de l’Inde.
Sleeping patterns and stress hormones could be the key to understanding how and when people with epilepsy are likely to experience seizures, a new study reveals.
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.
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.
Diet treatments are often used with the aim of reducing seizure frequency and severity — but they may have other benefits as well. Joy Mazur spoke with Dr. Magnhild Kverneland about the possible effect of dietary treatments on emotional symptoms and their correlation with health-related quality of life.
Some published data suggest that besides their effect on cholesterol, statins also may play a protective role in some neurological disorders, including epilepsy. Dr. Bruna Nucera interviews Dr. Anthony Marson and Dr. Emilio Russo about whether and how to test statins as potential anti-epileptogenic drugs.
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.
Robert E. Gross, MD, PhD, a renowned neurosurgeon who has led collaborative teams of clinician-scientists in the pursuit of improving the quality of life for patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, has been appointed joint chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Rutgers Health. Gross also will serve as the senior vice president for neurosurgical services at RWJBarnabas Health.
It's that time of year again. For media working on stories about the seasonal return to school, here are the latest features and experts in the Back-To-School channel on Newswise.
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.
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.
Pour les musulmans épileptiques, le jeûne intermittent n'est pas seulement une pratique religieuse très appréciée, mais une méthode possible pour améliorer le contrôle des crises. Les résultats d'une étude récente pourraient guider les professionnels de l'épilepsie dans leurs conseils aux musulmans qui souhaitent participer au Ramadan.
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.
Las personas con convulsiones funcionales enfrentan estigma, estrés y cargas emocionales y financieras, al igual que sus cuidadores. Mientras cuidan a sus seres queridos, algunos cuidadores pueden desarrollar altos niveles de depresión y ansiedad.
Para los musulmanes con epilepsia, el ayuno intermitente no solo es una práctica religiosa muy valorada, sino también un posible método para mejorar el control de las convulsiones. Los hallazgos de un estudio reciente pueden guiar a los profesionales de la epilepsia para asesorar a los musulmanes que desean participar en el Ramadán.
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 is among the first in the nation to perform an experimental regenerative brain cell therapy for epilepsy aimed at eliminating seizures.
Though the cyclic properties of seizures have been known for more than 100 years, much is still unknown. Does everyone with epilepsy have a seizure pattern? In the first of a two-part series on circadian rhythms, Dr. Laurent Sheybani talks with Dr. Mark Quigg.
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.
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.
Au cours des trois dernières décennies, les chercheurs ont travaillé pour combler le fossé du traitement de l'épilepsie dans la région du Gran Chaco en Bolivie. Des projets tels que des enquêtes épidémiologiques, des campagnes de sensibilisation et des programmes éducatifs ont réduit l'écart de 40 %.
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.
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 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.
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.
Most people with epilepsy have difficulty always taking their medications as prescribed. How can clinicians and patients talk about the issue and find solutions? Sharp Waves spoke with Dr. Avani Modi and Dr. Desiree Williford.
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.
Sucheta Joshi, MD, MS, FAAP, FAES, has been named as incoming Medical Director of the Neurological Institute Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).
El estigma afecta todos los aspectos de la atención de la epilepsia, desde el diagnóstico y el tratamiento hasta la legislación y las asignaciones presupuestarias. Un estudio realizado en los Estados Unidos encontró que un tercio de los participantes informaron que el estigma, no las convulsiones en sí, era la parte más difícil de vivir con epilepsia.
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.
El video ha jugado un papel importante en el cuidado de la epilepsia durante décadas. Ahora, las convulsiones capturadas en el video de un teléfono inteligente pueden acelerar el diagnóstico y el tratamiento, particularmente en áreas con pocos o ningún neurólogo.
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.
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.
El acceso a la atención afecta a las personas con epilepsia en todo el mundo. Acercar la atención al hogar puede ayudar, pero ¿qué tal llevar la atención a la casa?
Prior to being diagnosed with epilepsy, 5% of people with a type of epilepsy called focal epilepsy had a seizure while driving, according to a new study published in the June 7, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
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.