Epilepsy News and Research

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

Cyberonics' FDA-approved VNS Therapy to be featured at the AES meeting

Cyberonics, Inc. announced today that Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy, the only FDA-approved implantable medical device for the treatment of refractory epilepsy, will be featured in 14 presentations at the American Epilepsy Society's (AES) Annual Meeting, taking place December 4-8 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

4 Dec 2009

Analysis explores the importance of CNS-related conditions and their impact on epilepsy management

Depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), sleep disorder and migraine: These are among the comorbidities reported to occur more often in people who said they had been diagnosed with epilepsy versus those without an epilepsy diagnosis, according to a survey of approximately 173,000 households across the U.S.

4 Dec 2009

Neurologix completes Phase 2 clinical trial of Parkinson’s study

Neurologix, Inc. (OTCBB:NRGX), a biotechnology company engaged in the development of innovative therapies for the brain and central nervous system, announced the completion of all planned surgeries in an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial of the company’s gene transfer approach to the treatment of advanced Parkinson’s disease.

4 Dec 2009

Study shows younger, female and Hispanic stroke survivors are less likely to take antithrombotic medications

People who have had an ischemic stroke are at higher lifetime risk for another stroke, but several types of medication can reduce that risk. One of the simplest regimens involves antithrombotic medications, otherwise known as blood thinners, of which the most common is aspirin.

3 Dec 2009

Sepracor to present clinical study data of STEDESA at the 2009 AES meeting

Sepracor Inc. today announced that clinical study data for STEDESA™ (eslicarbazepine acetate) will be presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) in Boston. Seven posters describing new safety analyses will be presented at the Hynes Convention Center during the formal poster session on Saturday, December 5, 2009 between 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm EST.

2 Dec 2009

Researchers identify a set of molecular brakes that stabilize the developing brain's circuitry

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a set of molecular brakes that stabilize the developing brain's circuitry. Moreover, experimentally removing those brakes in mice enhanced the animals' performance in a test of visual learning, suggesting a long-term path to therapeutic application.

26 Nov 2009

Seven-day event focuses on nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, nanomedicine and clinical trials

SNM will hold its Conjoint Mid-Winter Meetings Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2010, at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, N.M. This year, SNM joins its annual Mid-Winter Educational Symposium with the 2010 Annual Meeting and Educational Symposium of the American College of Nuclear Medicine (ACNM), the Nanomedicine and Molecular Imaging Summit and the Clinical Trials Network Community Workshop.

25 Nov 2009

NFL's new concussion policy welcomed by American Academy of Neurology

The American Academy of Neurology, the world's largest professional association of neurologists, is encouraged by news reports that the National Football League will soon implement a new policy requiring an independent neurologist to evaluate players who have suffered a concussion.

24 Nov 2009

Multidisciplinary pediatric neurosurgery program launched

Responding to a growing need in central and northeast Pennsylvania for highly specialized care of pediatric brain tumors and other central nervous system disorders, Geisinger's Janet Weis Children's Hospital has launched a state-of-the-art and comprehensive pediatric neurosurgery program. The multidisciplinary program is led by pediatric neurosurgeon Amir Kershenovich, M.D., who says he is pleased to accept his challenging role.

24 Nov 2009

Cellular prion protein and epileptic seizures: researchers find new role

Cellular prion protein (PrPc) plays an essential role in maintaining neurotransmitter homeostasis in the central nervous system. This discovery has been made possible by the observation that both a deficiency and an excess of the protein have a considerable effect on this homeostasis.

23 Nov 2009

Groundbreaking discovery provides fundamental insights into neurological disorders

Dr. Jeremy Schmahmann, Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and neurologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, on Thursday, November 19, presented his laboratory's research on the new field of study called "Connectivity" at the launch of the MINDlink Foundation.

21 Nov 2009

FDA extends Exalgo NDA review by three months

CombinatoRx, Incorporated and Neuromed Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately-held biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued Neuromed a letter extending its review of the New Drug Application (NDA) for the product candidate Exalgo™ (hydromorphone HCl) extended-release tablets by three months.

20 Nov 2009

Alzheimer Research Forum reports on the highlights of the Society of Neuroscience conference

Between 17-21 October 2009, the 39th annual conference of the Society of Neuroscience drew some 30,500 people to the great city of Chicago, which was more balmy than windy for the occasion. Your Alzforum reporters have been busy roaming the halls, buttonholing scientists for their comments on the presentations, and putting together reports on the most significant advances.

20 Nov 2009

PIPC commends CER language inclusion in health care reform bill

The Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC) today applauded Senator Reid’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for including strong patient-centered comparative effectiveness research (CER) language. The CER language is based on the approach taken by Senators Baucus and Conrad in their CER bill (S. 1213), which is supported by over 100 organizations across the country, representing patients, providers, people with disabilities, and minority health organizations.

20 Nov 2009

USP releases new CRMs for carbamazepine, phenytoin, and theophylline

To help bring greater certainty to the measurement of medication levels in a patient's bloodstream for three drugs with narrow therapeutic ranges, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is releasing new certified reference materials (CRMs).

19 Nov 2009

Halifax researcher wins Prix Galien Research Award

Dr. Donald Weaver, a Halifax researcher with unmatched credentials, received the Prix Galien Research Award at a ceremony in Ottawa last night. Known as the Nobel Prize of pharmaceutical research, this award is the highest distinction worldwide for biopharmaceutical work, and the most prestigious in the field of Canadian pharmaceutical research and innovation.

19 Nov 2009

Women with multiple sclerosis are less likely to have pregnancy complicaitons

There is good news for women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant. A new study shows that pregnant women with multiple sclerosis are only slightly more likely to have cesarean deliveries and babies with a poor prenatal growth rate than women who do not have MS.

19 Nov 2009

Smokers face increase risk of seizures; caffeine or alcohol does not increase seizure activity

A recent study determined there is a significant risk of seizure for individuals who currently smoke cigarettes. Boston-based researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School also found that long-term, moderate intake of caffeine or alcohol does not increase the chance of having a seizure or developing epilepsy.

18 Nov 2009

Study to test anti-tumor effects of AEOL 10150 initiated

Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the initiation of a study to test the anti-tumor effects of AEOL 10150 when combined with radiation and chemotherapy in nude mice bearing human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) xenografts.

18 Nov 2009

Novel device may reduce ischemic stroke damage

Stroke researchers at the Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston are the only ones in Texas to offer a novel device that might extend the acute stroke treatment window from three hours to 24.

18 Nov 2009