Epilepsy News and Research

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

Medically active component of cannabis does not impact driving ability, study shows

A landmark study on how cannabis affects driving ability has shown that cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabis component now widely used for medical purposes, does not impair driving, while moderate amounts of the main intoxicating component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produce mild driving impairment lasting up to four hours.

1 Dec 2020

Doctors report first case of mirror writing in patient with epilepsy

In new research presented at Euroanaesthesia (the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care [ESAIC]), doctors report a highly unusual case of a right-handed patient performing unconscious 'mirror-writing' with her left hand while in the midst of having epileptic seizures in the emergency room.

1 Dec 2020

New study could help treat people with reading disorders

The uniquely human ability to read is the cornerstone of modern civilization, yet very little is understood about the effortless ability to derive meaning from written words.

1 Dec 2020

UTHSC and Regeneron partner to advance precision medicine

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center has entered into an agreement with the Regeneron Genetics Center, a subsidiary of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., for the company to sequence DNA that has been voluntarily collected and stored as part of a biorepository initiative UTHSC is building in collaboration with its partner teaching hospitals.

18 Nov 2020

Aarhus University to open new engineering and neuroscience research center

A new cross-disciplinary center will develop brain-machine interface technologies. One of the goals is to develop the next generation of technology to monitor, diagnose, and treat brain diseases while at the same time developing brand new brain-inspired AI hardware.

17 Nov 2020

Neuroscientists identify astrocytes as master 'conductors' of the brain

In the orchestra of the brain, the firing of each neuron is controlled by two notes--excitatory and inhibitory-- that come from two distinct forms of a cellular structure called synapses.

12 Nov 2020

“Molecular volume knob” in the brain helps with learning, memory

A "molecular volume knob" regulating electrical signals in the brain helps with learning and memory, according to a Dartmouth study.

11 Nov 2020

Two studies focus on ethical aspects of brain-computer interface technologies

Brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies are no longer hypothetical, yet there are fundamental aspects of the technology that remain unaddressed by both ethicists and policy-makers.

10 Nov 2020

World Health Assembly to discuss plan for addressing COVID-19 response and critical health goals

As health leaders prepare to gather for a virtual session of the resumed 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA), WHO has three messages to share.

5 Nov 2020

Researchers develop guidelines to standardize performance tests for neural interfaces

How can scientists measure and define the performance of neural electrodes if there are no uniform standards? Freiburg microsystems engineer Dr. Maria Asplund together with Dr. Christian Böhler and Prof. Dr. Thomas Stieglitz, as well as Prof. Dr. Luciano Fadiga and Dr. Stefano Carli from the Italian Institute of Technology at the University of Ferrara, Italy, have developed guidelines to standardize the testing of the performance of electrodes for neural interfaces and bioelectronic systems.

29 Oct 2020

Study finds no association between leisure activities and lower dementia risk

Studies have suggested that taking part in leisure activities such as playing cards or gardening may be associated with a lower risk of developing dementia.

28 Oct 2020

Antiseizure drug use during pregnancy linked with double the risk of having children with autism

Women with epilepsy who take the antiseizure drug valproic acid while pregnant are at more than double the risk of having children with autism spectrum disorder and nearly double the risk of having children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study in the October 28, 2020, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Oct 2020

Study focuses on electroencephalogram abnormalities of the brain

Throughout the pandemic, healthcare workers have seen more than just the lungs affected by COVID-19. Doctors have reported neurological complications including stroke, headache and seizures, but the information is limited to a number of individual reports that are not reflective of a larger population.

28 Oct 2020

Study: Impact of earlier diagnosis in focal epilepsy goes beyond timely treatment

Having subtler symptoms, a form of epilepsy that affects only one part of the brain often goes undiagnosed long enough to cause unexpected seizures that contribute to car crashes, a new study finds.

20 Oct 2020

Amino acid produced by the brain could prevent temporal lobe epileptic seizure

A team of researchers from the Florida State University College of Medicine has found that an amino acid produced by the brain could play a crucial role in preventing a type of epileptic seizure.

14 Oct 2020

Nerve cell activity indicates the confidence in decisions

Should I or shouldn't I? The activity of individual nerve cells in the brain tells us how confident we are in our decisions. This is shown by a recent study by researchers at the University of Bonn.

9 Oct 2020

Breakthrough genetic discovery into the cause of severe neurological conditions

Researchers have made a breakthrough genetic discovery into the cause of a spectrum of severe neurological conditions.

8 Oct 2020

Research uncovers a novel way of preventing or treating epilepsy

Epileptic seizures often originate in small, localized areas of the brain where neurons abnormally fire in unison.

8 Oct 2020

Study identifies the exact neurons that are most affected by epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. It is caused by a malfunction in brain cells and is usually treated with medicines that control or counteract the seizures.

7 Oct 2020

Two Penn Medicine researchers selected for prestigious NIH Director's Awards

Picture a future where embedded medical devices not only treat and teach patients, but learn from them. Imagine chronic pain being managed without the negative side effects of opioids. Penn Medicine researchers are working to make those scenarios a reality.

6 Oct 2020