Epilepsy News and Research

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

Marijuana causes emotional and memory problems in multiple sclerosis patients

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who smoke marijuana are more likely to have emotional and memory problems, according to research published February 13, 2008, in the online edition of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Feb 2008

Oxcarbazepine doesn't prevent migraine

Contrary to some reports, the epilepsy drug oxcarbazepine does not appear to prevent migraine, according to research published in the February 12, 2008, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

12 Feb 2008

Funding boost for research into epilepsy and hearing loss

Two research projects at the University of Bristol have been awarded over £600,000 in total, to help provide greater understanding of epilepsy, the most common serious primary brain disorder in the UK

11 Feb 2008

RNA-associated introns guide nerve-cell channel production

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered that introns, or junk DNA to some, associated with RNA are an important molecular guide to making nerve-cell electrical channels.

7 Feb 2008

Antiepileptic drug warning from FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued new information to health care professionals to alert them about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (suicidality) in patients who take drugs called antiepileptics to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder, migraine headaches, and other conditions.

5 Feb 2008

New Zealand warns of risk from anti-epileptic drugs

New Zealand's Ministry of Health drug regulation arm Medsafe is alerting health care professionals about a small increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours in patients taking anti-epileptic medicines.

31 Jan 2008

Deafness and seizures result when glutamate protein deleted in mice

Scientists have discovered that mice genetically engineered to lack a particular protein in the brain have profound deafness and seizures.

25 Jan 2008

Chemical first found on Easter Island could treat tuberous sclerosis

A new study has shown promising results in fighting a severe genetic disorder which can create tumours throughout the body.

11 Jan 2008

Auditory neurons in humans far more sensitive to fine sound frequencies than most mammals

The human ear is exquisitely tuned to discern different sound frequencies, whether such tones are high or low, near or far.

11 Jan 2008

Energy efficient bulbs blamed for triggering migraines

According to a British migraine lobby group, energy efficient light bulbs could be causing migraines.

3 Jan 2008

Epilepsy and brain pathology linked together by the protein ADK

The brain of individuals who suffer from epilepsy is characterized by astrogliosis, a brain pathology evidenced by a complex series of changes in the morphology and function of brain cells known as astrocytes.

3 Jan 2008

Brain malfunction explains dehydration in elderly

As Australia faces another hot, dry summer, scientists from Melbourne's Howard Florey Institute have warned that elderly people are at risk of becoming dehydrated because their brains underestimate how much water they need to drink to rehydrate.

17 Dec 2007

Early treatment stops epilepsy in its tracks

Yale School of Medicine researchers have shown for the first time that it is possible to suppress the development of epilepsy in genetically predisposed animals - which could open the door to treating epilepsy as a preventable disease.

14 Dec 2007

Carbamazepine based drugs to include new advice for patients with Asian ancestry

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that the manufacturers of drugs containing the active ingredient carbamazepine have agreed to add to the drugs' labeling a recommendation that, before starting therapy with the drugs, patients with Asian ancestry get a genetic blood test that can identify a significantly increased risk of developing a rare, but serious, skin reaction.

13 Dec 2007

UCSF Medical Center advances brain disorder treatment with noninvasive radiosurgery tool

The most advanced noninvasive, radiosurgery tool for treating a variety of brain disorders--including tumors--is now being used by specialists at UCSF Medical Center.

4 Dec 2007

Positive results from trial of investigational anti-epilepsy drug Brivaracetam

UCB has announced data demonstrating that anti-epileptic drug (AED) brivaracetam, with the proposed trade name Rikelta, administered as an adjunctive treatment in adults with refractory epilepsy with partial onset seizures, significantly reduced seizure frequency and had a side-effect profile comparable to placebo.

4 Dec 2007

Genetic testing for severe type of migraine may help identify new treatment options

People with a severe type of migraine in which one side of the body becomes weak should consider genetic testing, according to research that has found familial genes for this type of migraine in people who did not have family members experiencing the problem.

4 Dec 2007