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 Pathophysiology

Epilepsy in Children

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)

Epilepsy Classification

Epilepsy Epidemiology

Epilepsy Syndromes

Breath Analysis in Epilepsy Treatment Monitoring

Can Stem Cells be Used to Treat Epilepsy?

Catamenial Epilepsy Diagnosis and Treatment

Catamenial Epilepsy

Epilepsy Seizure Types

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Epilepsy Legal Implications

Epilepsy Treatment

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

New mutant rat model replicates human chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health burden affecting approximately one in ten adults globally. Even with improved treatments, many patients continue to have worsening loss of kidney function, resulting in the need for dialysis or transplantation.

27 Aug 2026

Post-seizure psychotic episodes linked to future mental health risks

Some people with epilepsy experience delusions, hallucinations, paranoia and confusion after a seizure.

27 Aug 2026

Brain shrinkage biomarker may predict early-onset Alzheimer’s progression

In people diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, a biomarker tool that detects shrinkage of the brain's gray matter may predict how quickly someone may progress from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia, according to a new study published August 26, 2026, in Neurology, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Aug 2026

Study reveals how the brain balances competing goals

How do we decide what to do when faced with choices? And how does the brain adapt those decisions as the world around us changes? A new study published in Nature by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital offers surprising insights by revealing how the human brain continuously balances competing goals in real time.

25 Aug 2026

Paternal valproate use not linked to offspring neurodevelopmental risks

Use of the antiseizure drug valproate by fathers before conception is not associated with neurodevelopmental disorders like autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in their children, according to a new study published August 19, 2026, in Neurology®, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

19 Aug 2026

Early-onset epilepsy tied to lower academic achievement

Childhood epilepsy is linked to significantly poorer exam grades and long term educational attainment, with the lowest levels of academic prowess among those whose neurological disorder started when they were very young, finds a large, long term Danish study, published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

18 Aug 2026

Why keto appears to lower blood pressure for some people but not others

A narrative review finds that ketogenic diets may modestly lower blood pressure through weight loss, reduced visceral fat, improved insulin sensitivity, fluid and electrolyte shifts, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, effects vary across studies, long-term cardiovascular evidence remains limited, and diet quality, hydration, electrolyte balance, and medication monitoring are important.

17 Aug 2026

Brain activity before stimulation predicts treatment responses

Brain stimulation can produce very different effects at different moments, even when the stimulus is delivered the exact same way.

14 Aug 2026

Global epilepsy burden shifts expose widening healthcare access gaps

Epilepsy remains a major public health challenge, but its burden is changing in ways that reveal health inequalities.

14 Aug 2026

Astrocytes found to directly regulate memory consolidation during sleep

Research has shown that a good night's sleep has many benefits, including memory consolidation. How sleep enables the brain to strengthen memories is still not completely understood, but a new study published in Neuron reveals how astrocytes, brain cells known for supporting neurons and their functions, can directly regulate brain circuits involved in memory consolidation.

13 Aug 2026

Later-life estrogen therapy associated with lower risk of developing dementia

Use of hormone therapy later in life was associated with lower risk of developing dementia, according to a study published August 12, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

12 Aug 2026

High frequency brain waves help coordinate human working memory

Research from scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and collaborators has shed new light on how the human brain coordinates working memory, the process in which the brain encodes information for immediate or short-term use.

12 Aug 2026

Targeting single gene reverses developmental deficits in adult mice

Some of the symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy may result from dysfunction of certain neurons in the brain and their ability to change their properties in response to experiences-a process called experience-dependent plasticity.

12 Aug 2026

Miniature microscope tracks and activates single brain cells during movement

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz and the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a miniature microscope that allows scientists to observe and activate individual brain cells during natural movement, an advance that could accelerate research into how the brain controls behavior while deepening understanding of neurological diseases.

11 Aug 2026

Disrupted RNA methylation pathway accelerates Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s risks

A growing understanding of RNA biology is reshaping how scientists view the relationship between environmental toxicants, brain development, and neurodegenerative disease.

7 Aug 2026

AI sleep model reveals health risks missed by standard apnea scores

An AI foundation model extracted hidden physiological patterns from routine polysomnography and identified five patient groups with distinct long-term risks of mortality, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders. The approach outperformed apnea–hypopnea index severity categories for risk stratification and remained informative in an independent sleep cohort.

6 Aug 2026

Study reveals treatment gaps for atypical Alzheimer's disease patients

Many people with less common forms of Alzheimer's disease may not qualify for newer anti-amyloid treatments designed to slow the disease, according to a study published August 5, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

5 Aug 2026

Researchers recreate imagined melodies from brain activity

In a study led by Jii Kwon and Chun Kee Chung, from Seoul National University, researchers explored whether they could recreate melodies from the brain activity of people imagining how songs continue after listening to a few bars.

3 Aug 2026

Discovery of calcium channel mechanism offers clues for brain disorder treatments

DGIST (President Kunwoo Lee) announced that a research team led by Professor Byung Chang Suh of the Department of Brain Sciences has, for the first time, uncovered a novel molecular mechanism that regulates the "N-type voltage-gated calcium channel (CaV2.2)," which plays a critical role in neural signal transmission.

29 Jul 2026

ALS risk varies significantly across U.S. military service branches

Compared to Army veterans, men who are veterans of the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard have higher rates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and men who are Marine veterans have lower rates, according to a new study published July 29, 2026, in Neurology®, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

29 Jul 2026