Epilepsy News and Research

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

Stopping cholesterol drugs may increase risk of Parkinson's disease

People who stop taking cholesterol drugs may be at an increased risk for developing Parkinson's disease, according to research that appears in the July 24, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

25 Jul 2013

Astrocytes can protect brain tissue and reduce disability due to stroke

One of regenerative medicine's greatest goals is to develop new treatments for stroke. So far, stem cell research for the disease has focused on developing therapeutic neurons - the primary movers of electrical impulses in the brain - to repair tissue damaged when oxygen to the brain is limited by a blood clot or break in a vessel. New UC Davis research, however, shows that other cells may be better suited for the task.

24 Jul 2013

NIH awards $1.7M grant to develop effective treatments for brain disorders

Ten percent of Americans experience a seizure in their lifetime, with three million diagnosed with epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder. Anticonvulsant medications can mitigate the hyperactivity of neurons that leads to seizures, but not without severe side effects, including cognitive impairment.

23 Jul 2013

Study finds link between mental illness and premature death in people with epilepsy

People with epilepsy are 11 times more likely to die prematurely than the general population, and the risk appears to be much higher for individuals with common co-existing psychiatric illnesses*, especially depression and alcohol and drug use disorders, new research published in The Lancet suggests.

22 Jul 2013

Study reveals correlation between premature death and mental illness in people with epilepsy

People with epilepsy are ten times more likely to die early, before their mid-fifties, compared with the general population, according to a 41 year study in Sweden published today in the Lancet and part-funded by the Wellcome Trust.

22 Jul 2013

Study supports topiramate as promising medication to treat addiction

The drug topiramate, typically used to treat epilepsy and more recently weight loss, may also help people addicted to both cocaine and alcohol use less cocaine, particularly heavy users, researchers in the department of Psychiatry at Penn Medicine report in a new study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

19 Jul 2013

Children exposed to AEDs in womb at risk of early development issues: Study

Children whose mothers took antiepileptic drugs while pregnant are at increased risk of early development issues, according to a new study published in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy.

18 Jul 2013

Scientists develop method to predict success of surgical procedure for temporal lobe epilepsy

Scientists at Bonn University Hospital and at the Max Planck Institute for neurological research in Cologne have developed a method with which the chances of success of a surgical procedure for temporal lobe epilepsy can be accurately predicted. The rate of accurate predictions is more than 90%. The results are now being presented in the scientific journal "NeuroImage:Clinical."

17 Jul 2013

Study demonstrates effectiveness of everolimus for TSC patients

A drug originally developed to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs has now been shown to dramatically reduce seizures in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex - a genetic disease characterized by benign tumors on multiple organ systems.

16 Jul 2013

Actavis’ Lamictal ODT drug receives FDA approval for treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder

Actavis, Inc. (NYSE: ACT) today announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Lamotrigine Orally Disintegrating Tablets, 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg, a generic equivalent to GlaxoSmithKline's Lamictal® ODT.

16 Jul 2013

Research: Chinese people have higher risk of stroke than Caucasians

A new study suggests that Chinese people may be at higher risk for stroke than Caucasians. The research is published in the July 16, 2013, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Jul 2013

Genome sequencing promises to identify rare mutations that give rise to autism

An international consortium, consisting of Autism Speaks, Duke University School of Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children of Toronto, BGI and other institutes, has investigated the genetic variants in 32 families with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

12 Jul 2013

Older people with Alzheimer's disease less likely to have cancer and vice versa

Older people with Alzheimer's disease are less likely to also have cancer, and older people with cancer are less likely to also have Alzheimer's disease, according to the largest study to date on the topic, which appears in the July 10, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Jul 2013

Orlando Health and UF health partner to expand neurosurgery program

Orlando Health and the University of Florida department of neurosurgery have partnered to expand the neurosurgery program at Orlando Health with the opening of a specialized practice, UF Health Neurosurgery — Orlando Health.

10 Jul 2013

Action Medical Research funds three new Research Training Fellowships

Action Medical Research, the UK-wide charity funding vital research to help sick and disabled babies and children, has today announced it is funding three new Research Training Fellowships worth more than £470,000.

9 Jul 2013

Stem cells in the aesthetic industry: an interview with Dr. Norma Kassardjian

Stem Cells are special “master” cells in your body. Stem cells are the building blocks that can replicate into other kinds of cells like blood cells, heart, muscle, blood vessels and cartilage.

9 Jul 2013

Physical activity reduces stress and promotes growth of new neurons

Physical activity reorganizes the brain so that its response to stress is reduced and anxiety is less likely to interfere with normal brain function, according to a research team based at Princeton University.

5 Jul 2013

Neurosurgeon wins Ambassador for Epilepsy Award for improving clinical care for children with epilepsy

Dr. Gary Mathern, professor of pediatric neurosurgery and director of the UCLA Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Program at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, was honored with the Ambassador for Epilepsy Award by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) at the 30th International Epilepsy Congress in Montreal on June 23.

4 Jul 2013

Reading books and participating in brain-stimulating activities may preserve memory

New research suggests that reading books, writing and participating in brain-stimulating activities at any age may preserve memory. The study is published in the July 3, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Jul 2013

Study suggests patient's neurons may be altered in different ways, although resulting disease is same

Epilepsy, irregular heartbeats and other conditions caused by malfunctions in the body's nerve cells, also known as neurons, can be difficult to treat. The problem is that one medicine may help some patients but not others.

2 Jul 2013