Articles tagged with Epilepsy
A new study by Columbia University researchers establishes the first mathematically sound definition of epilepsy, requiring two unprovoked seizures for a diagnosis. The study found that patients who have had two seizures are at high risk of recurrence, with a 73% chance of having a third seizure within five years.
Researchers have discovered how a rare epilepsy mutation works at a molecular level, potentially helping understand other nervous-system disorders. The mutation impairs signaling between nerve cells, leading to seizures in people with autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE).
A new mouse model, swe mice, has been identified by researchers at Jackson Laboratory with a defect in the Nhe1 gene. The mice exhibit both petit mal and grand mal seizures, similar to human absence and convulsive epilepsy, making it a promising authentic model for studying human absence epilepsy.
A new vagus nerve stimulator device has been shown to prevent epileptic seizures in over 30% of patients, with some becoming completely seizure-free. The device, which is battery-operated and inserted just below the collarbone, sends electric current to stimulate the vagus nerve without impairing heart rate or cardiac cycles.
Researchers at KU Medical Center developed a technique predicting seizures by analyzing brain activity, potentially leading to new treatment options for patients with epilepsy. The algorithm measures seizure and non-seizure components, allowing for up to three-minute warning before a seizure occurs.
A Johns Hopkins study found that over 1 in 5 neurologists and obstetricians had patients with epilepsy who developed unwanted pregnancies due to anti-epilepsy drugs interfering with birth control pills. Increasing birth control medication levels or switching to non-interfering medications can reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancy.