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Implanted Device May Predict Epilepsy Seizures, Study Suggests
Posted 2 May 2013 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, May 2 – An implanted device that monitors brain activity may offer a way to predict seizures in people with uncontrolled epilepsy, a small pilot study suggests. The findings, reported online May 2 in the journal Lancet Neurology, are based on only 15 patients, and the device worked far better in some than others. But experts said the results are promising, and should prompt further studies. "We just wanted to see if this is feasible, and this study shows that it is," said lead researcher Dr. Mark Cook, of the University of Melbourne and St. Vincent's Hospital in Australia. The prospect of being able to predict seizures is "very exciting," he said, in part because it's the uncertainty of the disorder that can dim people's quality of life. If people know a seizure is coming, Cook said, they can avoid driving or swimming that day, for example. They might also be able to adjust ... Read more
FDA Panel Backs Brain Stimulator for Epilepsy
Posted 25 Feb 2013 by Drugs.com
SUNDAY, Feb. 24 - A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel has unanimously backed a device that lowers the rate of seizures among people with epilepsy. Smaller and thinner than an implantable defibrillator, the battery-powered, programmable device, called the RNS System, is placed just under the skull during surgery. Electrodes reach from the device to the one or two places in the patient's brain that create the abnormal electrical activity that causes seizures. The device works by short-circuiting nerve cells in that area to normalize brain activity before a seizure is triggered. On Friday, the panel voted 11-0, with two members abstaining, to recommend approval of the system, according to MedPage Today. The FDA does not have to follow the recommendations of its expert panels, but it typically does. "This is the first responsive neuro-stimulation system ever designed," said Frank ... Read more
Related support groups: Epilepsy
FDA Panel to Consider Brain Stimulator for Epilepsy
Posted 21 Feb 2013 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Feb. 21 - A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will weigh on Friday the merits of a new therapy for some people with epilepsy who have seizures that don't respond to medication. Smaller and thinner than an implantable defibrillator, the battery-powered, programmable device, called the RNS System, is placed just under the skull during surgery. Electrodes reach from the device to the one or two places in the patient's brain that create the abnormal electrical activity that causes seizures. The device works by short-circuiting nerve cells in that area to normalize brain activity before a seizure is triggered. "This is the first responsive neuro-stimulation system ever designed," said Frank Fischer, president and CEO of Mountain View Calif.-based NeuroPace Inc., which developed the device. "Our long-term results show that patients have a reduction of 50 percent or ... Read more
Related support groups: Epilepsy
Stroke During Childhood May Raise Risk for Epilepsy, Study Says
Posted 7 Feb 2013 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Feb. 7 – Infants and children who survive a bleeding stroke may be at increased risk for seizures and epilepsy, a new study finds. Each year in the United States, about six and a half newborns and children out of every 100,000 suffer strokes. About half of the strokes are bleeding strokes, typically caused by the rupturing of weakened or malformed blood vessels. In this study, researchers looked at 73 infants and children, ranging from newborns to 18 years old, who suffered bleeding in their brain tissue, a type of stroke called intracerebral hemorrhage. About 60 percent of the newborns and 43 percent of the older children had visible seizures at the time of the stroke or within one week after the stroke. Of the 32 patients who had continuous brain monitoring, 28 percent had seizures that would otherwise have gone undetected. The researchers plan to explore whether these ... Read more
Related support groups: Ischemic Stroke, Epilepsy
Epilepsy Drug in Pregnancy Linked to Autism Risk in Study
Posted 30 Jan 2013 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 – Women taking the epilepsy drug valproate (Depakote) while pregnant are at increased risk of having children with autism and other developmental problems, according to a small British study. Valproate is prescribed for epilepsy as well as certain psychiatric disorders and migraines. Other studies have shown its use during pregnancy is associated with birth defects and, more recently, lower IQ in school-age children. The American Academy of Neurology advises against valproate use during pregnancy, and some experts believe it should not be used by women of childbearing age. "Women for whom valproate is a treatment option should discuss the risks and benefits of this drug with their doctor prior to pregnancy, to ensure that their health and that of the potential child is optimized," said Rebecca Bromley, a clinical psychologist and research associate at the University ... Read more
Related support groups: Epilepsy, Valproic Acid, Depakene, Stavzor, Depacon
Study Links Epilepsy Drug in Pregnancy to Lower IQ
Posted 23 Jan 2013 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 – Children of mothers who take the antiepileptic drug valproate during pregnancy have lower IQ scores at age 6, a new study says. And the higher the dose of valproate during pregnancy, the greater the effect on a child's IQ, according to the report published in the Jan. 22 issue of The Lancet Neurology. For the study, the researchers looked at 305 pregnant women in the United States and United Kingdom who took a single drug to treat the seizure disorder – either valproate (Depakote), carbamazepine (Tegretol), lamotrigine (Lamictal) or phenytoin (Dilantin). At age 6, the IQ of children whose mothers took valproate during pregnancy was seven to 10 points lower than children whose mothers took another antiepileptic drug. Exposure to valproate was also associated with poorer speaking and memory abilities. "These results build on our earlier work to show that valproate ... Read more
Related support groups: Epilepsy, Valproic Acid, Depakene, Stavzor, Depacon
Study Suggests Genetic Link Between Epilepsy, Migraine
Posted 8 Jan 2013 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Jan. 8 – Migraines and epilepsy may share some of the same genetic roots, a new study suggests. Columbia University researchers report they found that people with a strong family history of seizure disorders are at much greater risk for migraines with aura, or migraines accompanied by other symptoms, such as blind spots or flashing lights. They noted their findings have significant implications for people with epilepsy since coexisting conditions, also known as comorbidities, can affect patients' quality of life and treatment success. The study was published in the Jan. 7 issue of the journal Epilepsia. "Epilepsy and migraine are each individually influenced by genetic factors," study author Dr. Melodie Winawer, from Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, said in a journal news release. "Our study is the first to confirm a shared genetic susceptibility to ... Read more
Study Supports Link Between Stress, Epileptic Seizures
Posted 4 Dec 2012 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Dec. 4 – Scientists have long thought that stress plays a role in epileptic seizures, and new evidence suggests that epilepsy patients who believe this is the case experience a different brain response when faced with a nerve-wracking situation. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati performed functional MRI brain scans during a stressful math exercise on 16 epilepsy patients who pegged stress as a factor in their seizure control and seven patients who did not. While both groups performed similarly on the test, those who perceived stress to have an impact on their epilepsy showed greater brain activation than the others during intimidating parts of the test. "One of the things we often hear is that a lot of epilepsy patients feel their seizures are affected by stress . . . but no one had really looked at their [brain response] or other elements of their physiological ... Read more
Related support groups: Anxiety and Stress, Seizures, Epilepsy
What Doctors Don't Know About Treating Kids With Epilepsy
Posted 3 Dec 2012 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Dec. 3 – Many American doctors lack knowledge about the proper diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in children, according to a new study. Researchers surveyed pediatricians, family doctors and neurologists/neurosurgeons in central Texas to assess whether they were using current best-practice guidelines when dealing with children with epilepsy. The results showed that many of the participants were misinformed about what constitutes intractable epilepsy (defined as epilepsy that cannot be controlled with medications), when to refer young patients for surgical evaluation, and what types of seizures may respond to surgical treatment. In addition to misinformation about surgery, there were significant gaps in knowledge about drug treatment, according to the researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and Dell Children's Medical Center, in Austin. The ... Read more
Related support groups: Epilepsy
Antidepressants May Lead to Fewer Seizures in People With Epilepsy
Posted 3 Dec 2012 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Dec. 3 – Besides helping to boost mood, antidepressants may also reduce seizure frequency for people with epilepsy, a new study suggests. The study, to be presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Epilepsy Society in San Diego, included patients who were prescribed one of two types of antidepressants – selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These types include drugs such as Celexa, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft, among others. Researchers led by Dr. Ramses Ribot, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, tracked changes in mood and anxiety levels for 100 people with epilepsy at three and six months after the start of antidepressant therapy. Improvement or remission of symptoms was seen in 86 percent of patients, the investigators found. The antidepressants tested "do not appear to worsen seizure ... Read more
Related support groups: Lexapro, Zoloft, Seizures, Prozac, Celexa, Paxil, Citalopram, Epilepsy, Sertraline, Fluoxetine, Seizure Prevention, Paroxetine, Escitalopram, Luvox, Paxil CR, Fluvoxamine, Seizure Prophylaxis, Sarafem, Luvox CR, Pexeva
FDA Approves Fycompa to Treat Seizures
Posted 23 Oct 2012 by Drugs.com
October 23, 2012 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Fycompa (perampanel) tablets to treat partial onset seizures in patients with epilepsy ages 12 years and older. Partial seizures are the most common type of seizure seen in people with epilepsy. Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which there is abnormal or excessive activity of nerve cells in the brain. Partial seizures affect only a limited or localized area of the brain, but can spread to other parts of the brain. Seizures cause a wide range of symptoms, including repetitive limb movements (spasms), unusual behavior, and generalized convulsions with loss of consciousness. “Some people with epilepsy do not achieve satisfactory seizure control from treatments they are currently using,” said Russell Katz, M.D., director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “It i ... Read more
Kids With Neurological Conditions at Higher Risk of Flu Death: CDC
Posted 29 Aug 2012 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 29 – Children with neurologic disorders such as cerebral palsy, intellectual disability or epilepsy are at increased risk of dying from flu, a new study says. The findings highlight the importance of influenza vaccination to protect these children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers analyzed data on influenza-related deaths among children younger than 18 during the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic. The number of flu-related deaths during the pandemic was more than five times the median number of children's deaths reported in the previous five flu seasons. Sixty-eight percent of those deaths occurred in children who had underlying medical conditions that elevate the risk of serious flu complications. Information was available for 336 of the children with underlying medical conditions who died from 2009 H1N1 flu-associated causes. Of ... Read more
Related support groups: Influenza, Epilepsy, Neurologic Disorder
Man's Best Friend Points the Way in Genetic Research
Posted 15 Aug 2012 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15 – Dogs may soon become man's best friend on a level that goes far beyond companionship and loyalty. Researchers report that the canine genome, similar in many ways to the human one, is starting to shed light on a wide range of human diseases. What makes dogs particularly interesting to scientists is their breed structure – a type of artificial selection – which creates distinct and diverse lines of animals that range from the muscular German shepherd to the nervous Chihuahua, from the hard-working collie to the perpetually pampered poodle. According to a review article published Aug. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine, the fact that most purebred dogs have descended from small, closely related parentage with large litters means recessive diseases are common among them. To those interested in genetics, that's exciting. It makes less common recessive diseases ... Read more
Related support groups: Cancer, Osteoarthritis, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Epilepsy, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Autoimmune Disorders, Lupus Erythematosus, Retinal Disorders
Mouse Study Sheds Light on How Diet May Affect Epilepsy
Posted 23 May 2012 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, May 23 – It's long been known that a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet can reduce epileptic seizures that resist drug therapy, and now researchers studying mice say they think they know why. The results of their research in mice suggest that resistance to seizures among people who eat what's called a ketogenic diet is linked to a protein that modifies cellular metabolism in the brain. The findings, reported in the May 24 issue of the journal Neuron, may lead to the development of new treatments for epilepsy, according to the researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston. "The connection between metabolism and epilepsy has been such a puzzle," study co-leader Gary Yellen, a professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, said in a Harvard news release. "I've met a lot of kids whose lives are completely changed by this diet. It's amazingly ... Read more
Parents Often Lose Sleep Over Child's Epilepsy, Study Finds
Posted 17 May 2012 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, May 17 – Parents of young children with epilepsy often sleep in the same room or the same bed as their child to monitor their condition, but the bed-sharing may be interfering with restful sleep for both the parents and kids, new research finds. In the study, published in the journal Epilepsia, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital for Children in Boston examined the sleeping arrangements of 105 families who had a child with the seizure disorder and 79 families whose children did not have epilepsy ("controls"). The children ranged in age from 2 to 10 years. Among the children with epilepsy, about 41 percent had seizures within the first year of life, while the mean age of seizure onset was about 2 years. In addition, 64 percent had at least one seizure within the last month and 37 percent had daily seizures. About 64 percent of parents who shared a bed with their ... Read more
Related support groups: Epilepsy
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Seizures, Status Epilepticus, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, West Syndrome, Central Nervous System Disorders
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