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 Treatment

Catamenial Epilepsy

Epilepsy in Children

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)

Epilepsy Syndromes

Breath Analysis in Epilepsy Treatment Monitoring

Epilepsy Epidemiology

Epilepsy Pathophysiology

Epilepsy Classification

Can Stem Cells be Used to Treat Epilepsy?

Epilepsy Seizure Types

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Epilepsy Legal Implications

Catamenial Epilepsy Diagnosis and Treatment

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

Study finds keto diet strengthens the brain against epilepsy

Published in The Lancet Neurology, a new review from the University of Colorado Anschutz in collaboration with UT Southwestern Medical Center, offers the latest scientific explanations for why ketogenic diets reduce seizures in people with epilepsy.

12 Mar 2026

Multiple concussions linked to slightly worse health in former college athletes

In former college athletes, having had three or more concussions was associated with slightly worse physical, mental, behavioral and cognitive health five years after graduation, according to an article published March 11, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Mar 2026

How the aging gastrointestinal tract drives age-related cognitive decline

We become forgetful as we age. This is often seen as a universal truth, but in fact it is far from universal: some people remain incredibly sharp at 100 years old, while others experience memory loss starting in middle age.

11 Mar 2026

New review reveals complex polygenic architecture underlying common epilepsies

An insightful mini-review published in Genomic Psychiatry synthesizes the rapidly expanding landscape of molecular genetic research on common epilepsies, assembling evidence from genome-wide association studies, whole-exome sequencing projects, and advanced statistical modeling to illuminate the polygenic architecture that underpins these heterogeneous neurological disorders.

10 Mar 2026

AI and genetics reveal new insights into human language development

Learning French, reading the latest Andy Weir novel, hanging out with friends for St. Patrick's Day - language is central to all these everyday activities.

10 Mar 2026

Using a smartwatch to detect changes in brain health

Can smartphones or smartwatches help detect early signs of neurological or mental illness? Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) monitored a group of participants wearing connected devices, and used artificial intelligence to analyze data such as heart rate, physical activity, sleep and air pollution.

10 Mar 2026

Exercise triggers memory-related brain waves in the hippocampus

A single session of physical exercise can spawn a boost of neural activity in brain networks that underlie learning and memory, according to a new study led by the University of Iowa.

9 Mar 2026

Spiritual care should be routine for patients with neurological diseases

People living with neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, dementia and epilepsy face not only physical decline, but also profound questions about identity, purpose, and meaning.

9 Mar 2026

FOXJ3 gene identified as the critical link between abnormal brain development and epilepsy

Researchers have discovered that mutations in the FOXJ3 gene act as a "master switch" failure, disrupting how the brain builds its layers and leading to FCD, a primary cause of drug-resistant epilepsy.

9 Mar 2026

How somatic mutations shape disease and reveal new drug targets

Researchers reviewed how somatic mutations accumulate in normal and diseased tissues, showing that natural selection can expand clones that influence disease risk, tissue adaptation, or cellular resilience. The study proposes somatic genomics as a powerful strategy to uncover disease mechanisms and identify new therapeutic targets across multiple conditions.

8 Mar 2026

Improving biological age gap may help protect long-term brain health

Improving the gap between your biological age and your chronological age is associated with a lower risk of stroke and improvements in signs of damage in the brain, according to a preliminary study released March 5, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

5 Mar 2026

Detecting major neurological disorders via saliva

A team of Korean researchers has, for the first time in the world, developed a technology capable of enabling early diagnosis of major neurological disorders, including epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and schizophrenia, using only a small amount of saliva.

5 Mar 2026

Youth football accounts for nearly one in five sports-related brain injuries

Youth football accounts for the largest share of sports‑related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children and young adults, nearly one in every five TBIs, according to a preliminary study released March 4, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

5 Mar 2026

Wearable sensors as a tool for MS monitoring

Wearable sensors may help identify people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are more likely to have worsening disability and loss of brain volume, according to a study published on March 4th, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Mar 2026

Novel gene regulation therapy passes key clinical milestone

Groundbreaking Phase 1/2a clinical trials co-led by Linda Laux, MD, from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, show that the first gene regulation treatment for epilepsy is safe and well tolerated by patients with Dravet syndrome for whom antiseizure medications are not effective.

4 Mar 2026

Experimental therapy dramatically reduces seizures in children with Dravet syndrome

A new experimental treatment for children with a hard-to-treat form of epilepsy is safe and can reduce seizures dramatically, helping them lead much healthier and happier lives, the findings of a UCL and Great Ormond Street Hospital-led international clinical trial show.

4 Mar 2026

A hidden movement map discovered in the brain’s insula

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a hidden "movement map" deep within the brain - a discovery that could help surgeons reduce side effects from epilepsy procedures and guide future treatments for speech and movement disorders.

4 Mar 2026

Canadian wildfire pollution associated with increased stroke severity

Short-term surges in air pollution in New Jersey from the 2023 Canadian wildfires were associated with a higher stroke rate and more serious strokes, according to a preliminary study released March 3, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

3 Mar 2026

Study finds association between groundwater age and Parkinson’s risk

People whose drinking water came from newer groundwater had a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease than those whose drinking water came from older groundwater, according to a preliminary study released March 2, 2026, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 78th Annual Meeting taking place April 18-22, 2026, in Chicago and online.

2 Mar 2026

Families defend disability services amid Medicaid cuts

Families of Idahoans with disabilities say their lives could be upended as lawmakers in the state's Republican-dominated legislature mull sweeping cuts.

2 Mar 2026