An analysis of data from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers found that access to specialty epilepsy care in the US has expanded along with an increase in surgical case complexity, and member centers have stepped up available epilepsy services and hired more epileptologists and EEG technologists. However, aggregate surgical volume remained stable or decreased…
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The patient’s seizures were getting more severe and increasingly frequent. One or two per month grew to several each week. Each burst of uncontrolled electrical activity sent shock waves through his injured brain, causing tremors and confusion. Unable to eat, his body weight dropped by nearly one-third in a few months. His health was deteriorating…
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Whole-plant medical cannabis seems effective and well tolerated for children with intractable epilepsy, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in the BMJ Paediatrics Open. Rayyan Zafar, from DrugScience in London, and colleagues conducted a retrospective study using clinical data from caretakers and clinicians to examine the feasibility of using whole-plant cannabis medicines to…
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If your child with epilepsy has learning difficulties, you are not alone. Compared with their peers, children with epilepsy are more likely to face challenges with acquiring knowledge or skills through experience or study. By understanding the issues, you’ll be in the best position to help. Several factors may be in play. The first is…
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University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have developed a noninvasive way to remove faulty brain circuits that could allow doctors to treat debilitating neurological diseases without the need for conventional brain surgery. The UVA team, together with colleagues at Stanford University, indicate that the approach, if successfully translated to the operating room, could revolutionize…
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All people with epilepsy have seizures, but not everyone who has had a seizure has epilepsy. The illness, which affects 3.5 million children and adults in the U.S., is a brain disorder characterized by recurring seizures. Many patients live in constant fear of when their next one is coming, when they might black out and…
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Epilepsy is the third most common neurological condition that affects older people after stroke and dementia. Research shows that late-onset epilepsy has become more widespread in the last 2 decades. The number of people with the condition will probably continue to rise as the aging population increases, and epilepsy will likely become a significant public…
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Epilepsy is a disease characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures and by the neurobiological, cognitive, psychological, and social consequences of this condition. Surgical intervention has been shown to confer improvements in seizure-free outcomes and quality of life for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Read the full article here
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In today’s edition of Medical Myths, we will inspect and overturn 13 misunderstandings associated with epilepsy. Among other questions, we ask whether epilepsy is contagious, whether seizures hurt, and what treatment is available. Read the full article here
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