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Last Updated: Nov 17th, 2006 - 22:35:04 |
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Responsive Neurostimulator System: An implantable device to treat epilepsy
About 2.5 million Americans of all ages have epilepsy. Think of it as a tiny electrical storm in the brain. Many people suffer from seizures affecting their quality of life or have side effects from epilepsy medications. However, patients with some types of the disease don't respond to surgery or may be at high risk for complications. That's why new devices surgically implanted in the brain itself offer hope for an effective epilepsy treatment.
Sep 14, 2006, 16:54
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Defibrillator to prevent epileptic seizures?
Researchers at MIT are developing a device that could detect and prevent epileptic seizures before they become debilitating.
Sep 13, 2006, 20:10
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Septum sets the tempo of brain's electrical activity
The brain's septum helps prevent epileptic seizures by inducing rhythmical electrical activity in the circuits of another area of the brain known as the hippocampus, according to a new study in the Journal of Neurophysiology. The researchers found that, by imposing a normal "theta" rhythm on chronically epileptic rats, they could reduce epileptic seizures by 86-97 percent.
Jun 20, 2006, 19:06
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Multiple-stage surgery brings hope for Tuberous Sclerosis with intractable seizures
Sadly, none of the treatments for epilepsy�anti-seizure medications, a procedure called vagus nerve stimulation, a special diet �could quell the electrical storms in the young boy�s brain. Caused by a rare genetic disease called tuberous sclerosis, the seizures began when he was only 2 months old. By the time he was 5, he was having more than 10 a day. The seizures left him with the developmental capabilities of a 1-year-old child.
May 6, 2006, 18:50
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Flexible Drug Dosing in Epilepsy Reduces Side Effects
For the first time, researchers compared dosing regimens of an antiepileptic drug (AED) used for treatment of partial epilepsy in adults, in conjunction with other AEDs. They looked at dosing used in clinical everyday life (flexible dosing) and that used in classical clinical trials (fixed dose) and discovered that the flexible dosing method was superior. Researchers observed how patients responded to these two methods of dosing therapy over a 12-week period. According to the researchers, while clinical trials have traditionally used fixed doses throughout a treatment period, clinical practice allows for the gradual adjustment of medication dose to enhance patient tolerability and enable optimum effective dosing, based on individual patient response.
Dec 30, 2005, 15:49
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Depression and anxiety improve after epilepsy surgery
Depression and anxiety are common problems for people whose epilepsy cannot be controlled by medication. A new study found that depression and anxiety improve significantly after epilepsy surgery.
Dec 13, 2005, 21:45
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Ketogenic diet prevents seizures
Although the high-fat, calorie-restricted ketogenic diet (KD) has long been used to prevent childhood epileptic seizures that are unresponsive to drugs, physicians have not really understood exactly why the diet works. New studies by a research team at Emory University School of Medicine show that the diet alters genes involved in energy metabolism in the brain, which in turn helps stabilize the function of neurons exposed to the challenges of epileptic seizures. This knowledge could help scientists identify specific molecular or genetic targets and lead to more effective drug treatments for epilepsy and brain damage.
Nov 13, 2005, 19:55
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Blood Test Can Help Determine Type of Seizure
Using a blood test to measure the level of the hormone prolactin can help determine, in certain clinical settings, whether an epileptic seizure has occurred, according to a guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology and published in the September 13, 2005 issue of Neurology. The guideline authors reviewed all of the scientific evidence available on use of the prolactin blood test to diagnose seizures and developed evidence-based recommendations.
Sep 14, 2005, 01:54
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Propofol is effective in pediatric refractory status epilepticus
Propofol is a safe and effective drug to treat children with refractory status epilepticus, and it is recommended before thiopental, according to a study in the August 23, 2005 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Propofol and thiopental are widely used intravenous anesthetics which are also known to help control seizures.
Sep 1, 2005, 08:03
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Astrocytes appear to play a key role in development of epilepsy
Star-shaped brain cells that are often overlooked by doctors and scientists as mere support cells appear to play a key role in the development of epilepsy, researchers say in a study published on-line August 14 in Nature Medicine. It's one of the first times scientists have produced firm evidence implicating the cells, known as astrocytes, in a common human disease.
Aug 15, 2005, 17:50
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Novel treatment targets for absence seizures - Study
New research suggests novel treatment targets for the most common form of childhood epilepsy � with the potential to have fewer side effects than traditional therapy. The findings from Wake Forest University School of Medicine are reported today in the July issue of the Journal of Neurophysiology.
Jul 4, 2005, 13:52
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Noninvasive evaluation of epilepsy patients prior to surgery- Funtional MRI
Brain surgery is a treatment option for epileptic patients who fail to respond to medical therapy.Prior to surgery, the epileptic focus and its proximity to important funtional areas needs to be identified . This was done in the past by invasive tests likethe Wada test and electrical cortical mapping.Functional MRI, which uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field, is a non-invasive test capable of identifying the location of critical brain functions that could be affected by the location of the seizure focus.
Jun 28, 2005, 23:35
Latest Research
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Neurosciences
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Brain Diseases
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Epilepsy
Epilepsy surgery shows good results even after 30 years
A new study shows that the prognosis is good for people who have epilepsy surgery, even 30 years after the surgery. The study is published in the June 14 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Jun 14, 2005, 03:23
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