Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a group of disorders marked by problems in the normal functioning of the brain. These problems can produce seizures, unusual body movements, a loss of consciousness or changes in consciousness, as well as mental problems or problems with the senses.

What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a condition that has been known to mankind since ancient times. It affects the brain to cause repeated convulsions or seizures - also called fits in common parlance. The word “epilepsy” comes from the Greek and means to be taken, seized or attacked.

Epilepsy Classification

Epilepsy Epidemiology

Epilepsy Pathophysiology

Epilepsy Seizure Types

Epilepsy Syndromes

Epilepsy Treatment

Epilepsy Legal Implications

Epilepsy in Children

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)

Catamenial Epilepsy

Catamenial Epilepsy Diagnosis and Treatment

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Can Stem Cells be Used to Treat Epilepsy?

Breath Analysis in Epilepsy Treatment Monitoring

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

MIND diet may reduce cognitive decline risk, study suggests

People whose diet more closely resembles the MIND diet may have a lower risk of cognitive impairment, according to a study published in the September 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Results were similar for Black and white participants.

18 Sep 2024

Study links diabetes drugs to lower risk of dementia and Parkinson's disease

A class of drugs for diabetes may be associated with a lower risk of dementia and Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the September 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Sep 2024

$4.1 million funding supports epilepsy treatment research using spider venom proteins

UQ researchers have received $4.1 million from the Medical Research Future Fund to advance their research into epilepsy treatments made from spider venom proteins.

17 Sep 2024

Tossed medicine, delayed housing: How homeless sweeps are thwarting Medicaid’s goals

Andrew Douglass shoved his clothes and belongings into plastic trash bags as five police officers surrounded his encampment — a drab gray tent overflowing along a bustling sidewalk in the gritty Tenderloin neighborhood, where homeless people lie sprawled on public sidewalks, sometimes in drug overdoses.

16 Sep 2024

Concept neurons and location cells play key roles in memory formation

Certain nerve cells in the brain become active whenever they are confronted with different images or the name of a specific person or the identity of an object. They are highly selective and do not react to other people or objects.

12 Sep 2024

Stroke survivors more likely to experience abnormal sleep patterns

People who have had a stroke may be more likely to sleep too much or too little compared to those without prior stroke, according to a study published in the September 11, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Sep 2024

Heatwaves linked to increased seizures in epilepsy patients

Heatwaves can worsen abnormal excitability of the brain in people with epilepsy, finds a new small-scale patient study by clinical scientists at UCL.

11 Sep 2024

Sulthiame shows promise in reducing obstructive sleep apnea symptoms

Patients taking sulthiame, a drug currently in use for epilepsy, experienced a reduction in their symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to results of a clinical trial presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria.

10 Sep 2024

Researchers seek to revolutionize neurological disease treatment through intelligent biocomputing

With newly awarded funding from the National Science Foundation, researchers at the University of California, Irvine and the Keck School of Medicine of USC will seek to revolutionize the treatment of neurological diseases through intelligent biocomputing.

5 Sep 2024

New insights into stiff-person syndrome, advancing diagnosis and treatment

Research explores the complexities of diagnosing and treating stiff-person syndrome, emphasizing the uncertain role of GAD antibodies and the promise of novel therapies.

5 Sep 2024

Study links cadmium exposure to cognitive decline in white individuals

The heavy metal cadmium, which is found in the air, water, food and soil, is known to cause health problems.

4 Sep 2024

Novel biochip diagnoses deadly brain cancer in under an hour

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame have developed a novel, automated device capable of diagnosing glioblastoma, a fast-growing and incurable brain cancer, in less than an hour. The average glioblastoma patient survives 12-18 months after diagnosis.

28 Aug 2024

How diet shapes gut microbiota and affects brain function

Researchers discuss the diet-microbiota-gut-brain axis, which describes the role of both diet and gut microbiota composition on cognitive and emotional health.

26 Aug 2024

EEG technology marks 100 years with promising future innovations

One hundred years after the human brain's electrical activity was first recorded, experts are celebrating the legacy of its discovery and sharing their predictions and priorities for its future.

23 Aug 2024

FDA-approved drug could revolutionize organ transplantation

Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University report that they were able to successfully put tadpoles of Xenopus laevis frogs into a hibernation-like torpor state using donepezil (DNP), a drug approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimer's. The team had previously used another drug, SNC80, to achieve similar results in tadpoles and enhance the survival of whole mammalian hearts for transplants, but SNC80 is not approved for clinical use in humans because it can cause seizures. By contrast, DNP is already being used in the clinic, meaning it potentially could be rapidly repurposed for use in emergency situations to prevent irreversible organ injury while a person is being transported to a hospital.

23 Aug 2024

Study challenges migraine-Parkinson's connection

Contrary to previous research, a new study of female participants finds no link between migraine and the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. The study was published on August 21st, 2024, in the online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

22 Aug 2024