Epilepsy News and Research

Latest Epilepsy News and Research

Infant's scores on Apgar scale can predict risk of cerebral palsy or epilepsy

An infant's scores on the so-called Apgar scale can predict the risk of a later diagnosis of cerebral palsy or epilepsy. The risk rises with decreasing Apgar score, but even slightly lowered scores can be linked to a higher risk of these diagnoses, according to an extensive observational study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the esteemed journal The BMJ.

8 Feb 2018

Many epilepsy patients receive interacting drug combinations

In an Epilepsia analysis of 2008-2010 Medicare claims data, one in four older Americans with new-onset epilepsy and more than one-third with prevalent epilepsy received a combination of antiepileptic drugs and non-epilepsy drugs that could interact to alter the effectiveness of the non-epilepsy drugs.

7 Feb 2018

Doctors receive permission to carry out first “three-person baby” procedure in UK

Doctors have been given permission to assist two women in becoming pregnant with “three-person” babies for the first time in the UK.

5 Feb 2018

Researchers move closer to solving puzzle of 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome

Researchers are closer to solving the puzzle of a complex neurological condition called 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome. Individuals with this condition are missing a small piece of chromosome 15 that usually contains six genes, but which one of the genes is responsible for the clinical characteristics of patients has not been clear.

2 Feb 2018

Study unravels developmental splicing program that promotes neuronal maturation

Neurons, or nerve cells, in the brain communicate with each other by transmitting electric signals, or firing action potentials, through long processes named axons (which send out signals) and dendrites (which receive signals).

1 Feb 2018

Inhaled carbon dioxide triggers group of neurons responsible for arousal

Breathing too much carbon dioxide can be deadly, but it can happen during sleep if a particular sleeping position causes an obstructed airway or because of a medical condition like sleep apnea.

30 Jan 2018

Verbal short-term memory can be improved by directly stimulating specific brain area, study finds

Tickling the brain with low-intensity electrical stimulation in a specific area can improve verbal short-term memory. Mayo Clinic researchers report their findings in Brain.

30 Jan 2018

Study shows link between epilepsy and structural differences in grey matter

Research carried out by researchers at RCSI in partnership with UCL and the Keck School of Medicine of USC has revealed an association between epilepsy and the thickness and volume differences in the grey matter of several brain regions. The research is published today in Brain.

24 Jan 2018

Discovery offers fresh perspective on how the brain keeps its balance

As with all things in life, healthy brain function depends on a balance of forces. We think of our brains as active - moving a leg and saying a word are all "active" events.

22 Jan 2018

Scientists uncover proteins in the brain responsible for movement

Researchers in China have uncovered the proteins used by the brain to balance excitation and inhibition, without which humans would not be able to move.

22 Jan 2018

Epilepsy associated with volume and thickness differences in brain matter

Epilepsy is associated with thickness and volume differences in the grey matter of several brain regions, according to new research led by UCL and the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

22 Jan 2018

The London Clinic exhibits innovative technology to treat Parkinson’s disease at Arab Health

A pioneering technology that allows patients to control their Parkinson’s disease symptoms using an iPod will be showcased at Arab Health by a renowned UK hospital.

16 Jan 2018

Study suggests shared genetic susceptibility to epilepsy and mood disorders

Mood disorders, including depression, are the most common comorbid conditions in individuals with epilepsy, but the cause remains unclear, according to a latest study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and Rutgers University.

12 Jan 2018

Researchers find evidence for genetic relationship between epileptic seizures and depression

From the time of Hippocrates, physicians have suspected a link between epilepsy and depression. Now, for the first time, scientists at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Columbia University have found evidence that seizures and mood disorders such as depression may share the same genetic cause in some people with epilepsy, which may lead to better screening and treatment to improve patients' quality of life.

10 Jan 2018

VA clears the air on talking to patients about marijuana use

"Don't ask, don't tell" is how many veterans have approached health care conversations about marijuana use with the doctors they see from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

9 Jan 2018

Monthly cycles of brain activity linked to seizures in patients with epilepsy

UC San Francisco neurologists have discovered monthly cycles of brain activity linked to seizures in patients with epilepsy.

8 Jan 2018

MGH study points toward potential strategy for treating X-linked disorders

A study from a team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators points toward a potential strategy for treating X-linked disorders - those caused by mutations in the X chromosome - in females.

4 Jan 2018

Kids show signs of mental disorder soon after being diagnosed with chronic illness

Children commonly show signs of a mental disorder soon after receiving a diagnosis involving a of a chronic physical condition, according to a recent study in BMJ Open.

4 Jan 2018

Testing blood for caffeine levels may aid diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

Testing the level of caffeine in the blood may provide a simple way to aid the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the January 3, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Jan 2018

'Thunder' protein activity may be associated with behavioral disorders like schizophrenia

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine report they have identified rare genetic variations in a protein called Thorase, which is responsible for breaking down receptors at the connections between neurons in the brain.

3 Jan 2018