Epilepsy News and Research

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

New finding could help identify individuals with abnormal brain function

Mayo Clinic researchers found that the part of the brain generating seizures in individuals with epilepsy is functionally isolated from surrounding brain regions. The researchers hope this finding could be a clinical biomarker to help identify individuals with abnormal brain function.

9 Dec 2010

Low-dose diazepam with NS-398 combination has twice the neuroprotective effect of NS-398 alone

Status epilepticus, prolonged seizures, can lead to significant neurological deficits and, rarely, even death. The anticonvulsant diazepam, a first line therapy for the condition, is neuroprotective when administered in high doses within two hours from seizure onset. Researchers at the 64th AES Annual Meeting now report that the combination of low-dose diazepam and NS-398, a COX-2 inhibitor, has twice the neuroprotective effect of NS-398 alone.

8 Dec 2010

AHNPs may serve as effective treatment for epilepsy and other disorders with altered neuronal circuitry

Epilepsy research is reaching beyond improving the means for quelling symptoms to the exploration of potential modalities for correcting or reversing alterations in neural function that underlay some forms of the disorder.

8 Dec 2010

Long-term prognosis still excellent for children with seizures

Mayo Clinic researchers studied more than 200 children with epilepsy and found that even if the cause of focal-onset seizures cannot be identified and they do not fit into a known epilepsy syndrome, long-term prognosis is still excellent. This study was presented at the American Epilepsy Society's annual meeting in San Antonio on Dec. 4.

7 Dec 2010

Adverse birth outcomes partially explain epilepsy mortality

A higher rate of mortality is known to be associated with epilepsy, but the precise contribution of the underlying health factors is unknown. The results from the study of a large cohort of people born in Denmark in 1977 through 2006 were reported today at the American Epilepsy Society meeting here.

7 Dec 2010

Restless legs syndrome during pregnancy may reappear later on

Women with transient restless legs syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy appear to be at a higher risk of developing a chronic form of RLS later in life or have the same symptoms during future pregnancies, according to new research published in the December 7, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. RLS is a sleep-related motor disorder that causes an unpleasant feeling in the legs. The condition generally worsens during rest at night and improves with movement. Symptoms tend to progress with age.

7 Dec 2010

Global phase III study to provide novel extended release of topiramate

Data presented yesterday showed that USL255, a novel extended-release (ER) formulation of topiramate, was associated with less fluctuation in topiramate plasma levels than immediate-release (IR) topiramate in healthy volunteers.

7 Dec 2010

Data analysis reveals significant risk factors for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the most common condition-related cause of death in chronic epilepsy. Case-control studies using living people with epilepsy as controls have aimed at identifying factors that distinguish the epilepsy patient at risk of SUDEP, but there are disagreements between studies and a lack of precision in the risk estimates attributed, in part, to the small number of cases in each study.

7 Dec 2010

Study confirms importance of EEG as diagnostic tool in ICU

Bleeding in and around the brain (cerebral hemorrhage, including intra-cerebral hemorrhage, subdural hematoma, subarachnoid hemorrhage among other forms), from whatever cause (stroke, ruptured aneurysm, stroke, tumor, trauma, etc) can be very irritating to the electrical cells of the brain and affect how these cells transmit signals. If cells become very irritated and/or hyperactive, seizures can occur.

6 Dec 2010

Incidence of EPTS in children with TBI more than twice the rate in adults: Study

In the first study to utilize continuous EEG monitoring to define the incidence of early post traumatic seizures in children compared to published rates in adults, investigators at the University of Colorado followed pediatric patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury admitted to Denver Children's Hospital over a nine month period.

6 Dec 2010

MRI scans quantifies disruptions in blood brain barrier, identifies TBI patients at risk of developing PTE

Approximately 5 - 30% of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) develop post traumatic epilepsy (PTE). The onset of seizures in patients who are susceptible to PTE can range from weeks or months to more than a decade after TBI. In a presentation today at the 64th American Epilepsy Society annual meeting, scientists report that the analysis of routine MRI scans can reliably quantify the disruptions in the blood brain barrier that are increasingly believed to be a prominent contributor to epilepsy development.

6 Dec 2010

Oral levetiracetam may be effective in stopping neonatal seizures

Seizures that occur in the first few weeks of life are a major predictor of future adverse neurological outcomes. Currently approved antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are effective in stopping seizures in less than 50% of these neonatal cases. The approved therapies can also have undesirable side effects.

6 Dec 2010

Study provides evidence of acute, long-term safety of external TNS for epilepsy

External trigeminal nerve stimulation, a novel form of neurostimulation, is an emerging therapy for drug resistant epilepsy. The results of a pilot feasibility study on the safety and tolerability of external TNS and its effect on the heart and blood pressure were reported here today at the 64th American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting.

6 Dec 2010

Ketogenic diet may benefit patients with myoclonic-astatic epilepsy

Many children with certain forms of epilepsy achieve seizure control through a stringent medically supervised diet, either the ketogenic diet (KD) or a Modified Atkins Diet (MAD). When to use these diets and the mechanisms underlying their anticonvulsant effect are not well defined. Research presented here at the 64th American Epilepsy Society annual meeting provides new insight into when and how these diets work.

6 Dec 2010

Lundbeck reports positive phase III study data of clobazam in treating seizures associated with LGS

Today, Lundbeck Inc. presented positive data from its pivotal phase III study to determine the efficacy and safety profiles of the investigational compound clobazam as adjunctive therapy in treating seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

6 Dec 2010

Study reveals higher mortality rate among veteran status epilepticus patients

Status epilepticus (SE) is a true medical and neurologic emergency. To better understand the causes, treatment approaches and associated outcomes among SE patients, investigators at the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System retrospectively reviewed all SE cases treated within their system over an eight year period.

4 Dec 2010

ETP, EF announce latest grant recipients of New Therapy Grants Program

The Epilepsy Therapy Project and the Epilepsy Foundation today announced the latest grant recipients of their New Therapy Grants Program, a unique joint venture of two non-profit epilepsy organizations, to advance promising epilepsy research in clinical development.

4 Dec 2010

Denmark grants marketing authorization for SUMAVEL DosePro Needle-Free Delivery System

Zogenix, Inc. and Desitin Pharmaceuticals GmbH today announced that the Danish Medicines Agency of Denmark has approved the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for SUMAVEL® DosePro™ (sumatriptan injection) Needle-Free Delivery System. Denmark is the first country in Europe to grant marketing authorization for SUMAVEL DosePro for the acute treatment of migraine attacks, with or without aura, and the acute treatment of cluster headache.

2 Dec 2010

AES annual meeting features special session on implications of combat-induced traumatic brain injury

A panel of medical experts will discuss the implications of combat-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) today in an opening day session of the 64th American Epilepsy Society (AES) Annual Meeting here at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center. The session will focus on post traumatic seizure care from treatment on the battlefield to veteran hospitals and the civilian community.

2 Dec 2010

New tool helps gauge care for people with neurological disorder

A national conversation continues about the best ways to improve both the quality of medical care and to contain costs. So far, developing quality measurements has focused on primary care or highly prevalent, chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes. But what about brain disorders? To date, the number of measures that apply to neurologic care has been limited.

1 Dec 2010

Epilepsy News and Research

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

New finding could help identify individuals with abnormal brain function

Low-dose diazepam with NS-398 combination has twice the neuroprotective effect of NS-398 alone

AHNPs may serve as effective treatment for epilepsy and other disorders with altered neuronal circuitry

Long-term prognosis still excellent for children with seizures

Adverse birth outcomes partially explain epilepsy mortality

Restless legs syndrome during pregnancy may reappear later on

Global phase III study to provide novel extended release of topiramate

Data analysis reveals significant risk factors for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

Study confirms importance of EEG as diagnostic tool in ICU

Incidence of EPTS in children with TBI more than twice the rate in adults: Study

MRI scans quantifies disruptions in blood brain barrier, identifies TBI patients at risk of developing PTE

Oral levetiracetam may be effective in stopping neonatal seizures

Study provides evidence of acute, long-term safety of external TNS for epilepsy

Ketogenic diet may benefit patients with myoclonic-astatic epilepsy

Lundbeck reports positive phase III study data of clobazam in treating seizures associated with LGS

Study reveals higher mortality rate among veteran status epilepticus patients

ETP, EF announce latest grant recipients of New Therapy Grants Program

Denmark grants marketing authorization for SUMAVEL DosePro Needle-Free Delivery System

AES annual meeting features special session on implications of combat-induced traumatic brain injury

New tool helps gauge care for people with neurological disorder

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Epilepsy News and Research

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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