Epilepsy News and Research

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

Pregabalin shows potential for restless legs syndrome - improves sleep

A drug widely used to treat seizures and anxiety appears to be an effective treatment for restless legs syndrome (RLS) and helps people with the disorder get a better night's sleep, according to a study that will be presented as part of the Late-breaking Science Program at the American Academy of Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle.

29 Apr 2009

A glimpse at vision: First impressions count

Human beings far outpace computers in their ability to recognize faces and other objects, handling with ease variations in size, color, orientation, lighting conditions and other factors.

29 Apr 2009

Women with epilepsy should avoid taking the drug valproate during pregnancy

New guidelines developed by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society show it's relatively safe for women with epilepsy to become pregnant, but caution must be taken, including avoiding one particular epilepsy drug that can cause birth defects.

27 Apr 2009

New scan may lead to better treatment for epilepsy

Australian scientists have found that new technology may help in the treatment of epilepsy.

27 Apr 2009

Research finds gene bringing together animal and human research in alcoholism

An important genetic study conducted through Mayo Clinic has identified vital new information concerning alcoholism in subjects with European ancestry, according to a recent issue of Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research.

23 Apr 2009

Researchers discover that gene switches on during development of epilepsy

A discovery made by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine while studying mice may help explain how some people without a genetic predisposition to epilepsy can develop the disorder.

23 Apr 2009

Scientists suggest a mechanism for how lithium works in bipolar treatment

Lithium has been established for more than 50 years as one of the most effective treatments for bipolar mood disorder.

22 Apr 2009

Cognitive behavioral therapy helps alleviate nonepileptic seizures

Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have found that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can reduce the frequency of seizures in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), along with improving their overall quality of life.

15 Apr 2009

Valproate exposure during pregnancy can impair a child's cognitive development

Three-year-olds whose mothers took the antiepileptic drug valproate during pregnancy had average IQs six to nine points lower than children exposed to three other antiepileptic drugs, a landmark multi-center study has found.

15 Apr 2009

Moonlighting immune molecules found in the brain

Molecules assumed to be in the exclusive employ of the immune system have been caught moonlighting in the brain - with a job description apparently quite distinct from their role in immunity.

30 Mar 2009

New brain mapping capabilities come to desktops of scientists worldwide

Mapping the billions of connections in the brain is a grand challenge in neuroscience.

30 Mar 2009

Early epilepsy surgery may have a positive impact on babies' brain development

A new study published in Epilepsia reveals surgery for babies and toddlers suffering from epilepsy is relatively safe and is effective in controlling seizures.

23 Mar 2009

Astrocytes help separate man from mouse

A type of brain cell that was long overlooked by researchers embodies one of very few ways in which the human brain differs fundamentally from that of a mouse or rat, according to researchers who published their findings as the cover story in the March 11 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

23 Mar 2009

Nerve-stimulation device proves effective against epilepsy

Epilepsy is a common medical condition characterized by convulsions and short periods of confusion.

20 Mar 2009

Novel stimulation method sparks hope for Parkinson's disease sufferers

A novel stimulation method, the first potential therapy to target the spinal cord instead of the brain, may offer an effective and less invasive approach for Parkinson's disease treatment, according to pre-clinical data published in the journal Science by researchers at Duke University Medical Center.

20 Mar 2009

Anti-seizure drugs may increase risk of cardiovascular problems

An important clinical repercussion in the treatment of epilepsy has been discovered by a research team led by Scott Mintzer, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and the Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.

20 Mar 2009

Cause of severe pediatric epilepsy disorder discovered

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that convulsive seizures in a form of severe epilepsy are generated, not on the brain's surface as expected, but from within the memory-forming hippocampus.

16 Mar 2009

Depression almost twice as high in people with epilepsy

A new study published in Epilepsia finds that the prevalence of depression is almost twice as high in people with epilepsy compared to the general population.

16 Mar 2009

A nanotech coating for brain implants

Biomedical and materials engineers at the University of Michigan have developed a nanotech coating for brain implants that helps the devices operate longer and could improve treatment for deafness, paralysis, blindness, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

11 Mar 2009