Tag: epilepsy

NYU Langone launches new center to advance scientific discovery and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

NYU Langone Health announced today the launch of the Parekh Center for Interdisciplinary Neurology, made possible by a gift provided by Deven and Monika Parekh through the Psquared Charitable Foundation. The center helps bridge neuroscientific knowledge across the institution to advance scientific discovery and treatment of neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy,

Risk Factors for Late Seizure Relapse After Epilepsy Surgery

Incomplete resection and very early epilepsy onset were among the chief predictors of late seizure relapse following epilepsy surgery, according to a new study on the factors most associated with seizure recurrence in drug-resistant epilepsy. “As our study analyzed late seizure relapse, our results are not applicable for short‐term seizure control. Vice versa, results for short‐term

Theatrics, Hypnosis, and the Roots of Modern Neurology

“Symptoms, then, are in reality nothing but a cry from suffering organs” – Jean-Martin Charcot Nearly 130 years after his death, Jean-Martin Charcot’s name still resonates with modern neurologists. The famed 19th century French physician made myriad enduring contributions to the field. His eponymous foot condition might be his best known. He also delved into

Time to Diagnosis Longer for Subtle Seizures in Focal Epilepsy

TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2020 — Patients with new-onset focal epilepsy with subtle seizures experience prolonged time to diagnosis, according to a study published online Oct. 20 in Epilepsia. Jacob Pellinen, M.D., from the New York University School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues examined the causes and consequences of delayed diagnosis in patients

Mozart may reduce seizure frequency in people with epilepsy

A new clinical research study by Dr. Marjan Rafiee and Dr. Taufik Valiante of the Krembil Brain Institute at Toronto Western Hospital, part of University Health Network, has found that a Mozart composition may reduce seizure frequency in patients with epilepsy. The results of the research study, “The Rhyme and Rhythm of Music in Epilepsy,”

Brain network activity can improve in epilepsy patients after surgery

Successful epilepsy surgery can improve brain connectivity similar to patterns seen in people without epilepsy, according to a new study published in the journal Neurosurgery. The Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) study of 15 people with temporal lobe epilepsy is the first to show improvements in brain networks after surgery compared to a group of

EEG helps scientists predict epileptic seizures minutes in advance: Prevention: Edible acid can stabilize misfiring neurons

Elizabeth Delacruz can’t crawl or toddle around like most youngsters nearing their second birthday. A rare metabolic disorder that decimated her mobility has also led to cortical blindness — her brain is unable to process images received from an otherwise healthy set of brown eyes. And multiple times a day Elizabeth suffers seizures that continually

Molecular mechanisms of ancient herbal remedies: Components of leaf extract prove highly effective at preventing life-threatening seizures

Researchers in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine have discovered the molecular basis for a therapeutic action of an ancient herbal medicine used across Africa to treat various illnesses, including epilepsy. The herbal medicine, a leaf extract from the shrub Mallotus oppositifolius, was previously found to

Heart-brain connection could be predictive biomarker for epilepsy

Heartbeat irregularities connected to brain activity abnormalities may lead to the ability to predict eventual epileptic seizures in subjects who suffered physical or infectious brain insults, according to Penn State researchers who studied mouse models of cerebral malaria, which often causes epilepsy in those who survive. “We were developing, in a project led by Steven

Spider venom strikes a blow against childhood epilepsy

A devastating form of childhood epilepsy that is resistant to traditional drugs may have met its match in spider venom. Researchers from The University of Queensland and the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health discovered that a peptide in spider venom can restore the neural deficiencies that trigger seizures associated with Dravet syndrome. UQ

Insight without incision: Advances in noninvasive brain imaging offers improvements to epilepsy surgery

About a third of epilepsy sufferers require treatment through surgery. To check for severe epilepsy, clinicians use a surgical procedure called electrocorticography (ECoG). An ECoG maps a section of brain tissue to help clinicians identify areas damaged by seizures. “But ECoG requires taking a part of your skull out and putting electrodes directly on brain

Research reveals underappreciated role of brainstem in epilepsy

New research from Vanderbilt suggests that repeated seizures reduce brainstem connectivity, a possible contributor to unexplained neurocognitive problems in epilepsy patients. The brainstem has been rarely studied in epilepsy because seizures typically originate in the temporal lobe or other areas of the cortex. Noting that people with temporal lobe epilepsy often lose consciousness even though

During disasters, active Twitter users likely to spread falsehoods: Study examines Boston Marathon bombing, Hurricane Sandy; also finds most users fail to correct misinformation

We know that Twitter is littered with misinformation. But how good are the social media platform’s most active users at detecting these falsehoods, especially during public emergencies? Not good, according to new University at Buffalo research that examined more than 20,000 tweets during Hurricane Sandy and the Boston Marathon bombing. The study, published today (May

Repairing a leaky blood-brain barrier in epilepsy

Blocking the activity of an enzyme that has a key role in the generation of recurring seizures may provide a new way to treat epilepsy that is resistant to anti-seizure drugs, according to a study of rats and mice published in JNeurosci. One-third of people with epilepsy, one of the most common neurological disorders, do