As described by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), epilepsy is a disorder in which the normal electrical signaling in the brain is disrupted, causing repeated seizures. Seizures are characterized by sudden bursts of excessive electrical discharge that may change awareness, movements (e.g., jerking) or sensations. A person is considered to have epilepsy after…
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When the pandemic began in March 2020, clinicians and people with epilepsy were concerned about potential risks or complications of COVID-19 infection. The neurological symptoms raised further questions about whether COVID-19 could worsen seizures in people with epilepsy or even contribute to an increase in epilepsy incidence. Read the full article here.
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Pregnant women with epilepsy have more symptoms of depression and anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum than pregnant women who do not have epilepsy or women with epilepsy who are not pregnant, according to a study published in the August 17, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Read the full…
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Epilepsy during pregnancy raises special concerns. While most people who have epilepsy deliver healthy babies, you might need special care during your pregnancy. Here’s what you need to know. Read the full article here
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There is a growing recognition of the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion in society and its institutions. The most progressive, leading-edge organizations consider the diversity of people to be essential to the success, growth, innovation and development of a society. Read the full article here.
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A team of Florida State University College of Medicine researchers has found a link between a specific protein in the brain and increased vulnerability to neurodegeneration for individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Read the full article here.
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An anti-seizure medication acts on unexpected molecular targets, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in the Journal of Neuroscience. Designed to target AMPA receptors in the brain, the medication—called perampanel—turns out to also modulate kainate receptors, according to Geoffrey Swanson, Ph.D., professor of Pharmacology and senior author of the study. Read the full article here.
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Neurosurgeons with the University of Alabama at Birmingham have performed the first radiofrequency ablation for epilepsy in Alabama. Ablation uses heat energy to remove lesions in the brain responsible for epileptic seizures. It is a minimally invasive procedure that provides a treatment option for patients who have drug-resistant epilepsy offered through UAB Medicine. Read the full article here.
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When Aarti Sathyanarayana shadowed a neurologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, it sparked an idea that could change how doctors treat epilepsy. Sathyanarayana saw how doctors were evaluating whether they’d picked the right medication for epilepsy in a patient. It’s largely a trial-and-error approach, she says. The doctor will prescribe medication and then the patient will return…
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