by Laura Wright, University of Kentucky Last September, Guy Bradley began having episodes of severe and sudden confusion with night sweats and nausea. “He’d wake up and not know where he was or what day it was,” said his wife, Harriet. Also troubling: the 69-year old suddenly could not find his way around the golf course he’d played all his...
Tag: <span>epilepsy</span>
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Brain network activity can improve in epilepsy patients after surgery
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER 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 healthy subjects. Brain networks involved...
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Graphic Design Student Jasmine Banovic’s Daydreaming Turns Out To Be Epileptic Seizures
Daydreaming in class is normal for many students, but when Jasmine Banovic spaces out in class, it’s the sign of a serious health condition. Banovic, now 21, was actually having a type of epileptic seizure that’s known as “absence seizures.” Graphic Designer Hides Seizures Under the Guise of ‘Daydreaming’ For five years, the graphic designer from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire kept her seizures a secret from everyone but her family, best friend, and...
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How concussions may lead to epilepsy
Researchers have identified a cellular response to repeated concussions that may contribute to seizures in mice like those observed following traumatic brain injury in humans. The study, published in JNeurosci, establishes a new animal model that could help improve our understanding of post-traumatic epilepsy. 3D reconstructed confocal image depicting cortical grey matter of a mouse...
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It’s not epilepsy: Counseling helps those with misdiagnosed seizures
One of four patients admitted to hospitals for evaluation of seizures don’t have epilepsy but rather have a debilitating and difficult to diagnose condition known as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, or PNES. Credit: stock.adobe.com Nearly 80 percent of these patients who suffer seizures not caused by altered electrical activity in the brain have been previously misdiagnosed as having epilepsy and prescribed...
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New Wireless ‘Pacemaker’ For The Brain May Prevent Seizures, Tremors In Patients With Epilepsy, Parkinson’s
A new “pacemaker” for the brain developed by engineers from the University of California, Berkeley, may help prevent debilitating seizures and tremors in patients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s and epilepsy. Wireless Pacemaker For The Brain The device known as WAND, which stands for wireless artefact-free neuromodulation device, works by monitoring the brain‘s electrical activity and delivering electrical stimulation once it detects something is off. The device called WAND offers hope for patients with neurological conditions who suffer from...
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Scientists solve century-old neuroscience mystery; answers may lead to epilepsy treatment
Scientists at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute have solved a 125-year-old mystery of the brain, and, in the process, uncovered a potential treatment for acquired epilepsy. Since 1893, scientists have known about enigmatic structures called perineuronal nets wrapped around neurons, but the function of the nets remained elusive. IMAGE: A RESEARCH TEAM LED BY HARALD SONTHEIMER...
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Compound derived from marijuana may benefit children with epilepsy
In recent years, cannabinoids–the active chemicals in medical marijuana– have been increasingly touted as a potential treatment for a range of neurological and psychiatric disorders. In a Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology review, investigators compare their efficacy with antiepileptic drugs for children with epilepsy. One cannabinoid, called cannabidiol (CBD), has the most evidence of antiepileptic...
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New epilepsy warning device could save thousands of lives
A new high-tech bracelet, developed by scientists from the Netherlands detects 85 percent of all severe night-time epilepsy seizures. That is a much better score than any other technology currently available. The researchers involved think that this bracelet can reduce the worldwide number of unexpected night-time fatalities in epilepsy patients. They published the results of...
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New causative gene found in severe childhood epilepsy
A large international research team has discovered a new genetic cause for a severe, difficult-to-treat childhood epilepsy syndrome. Spontaneous mutations in one gene disrupt the flow of calcium in brain cells, resulting in epileptic overactivity. The team’s research in patients also found clues to potential medical treatments for the rare condition. Image: Katherine L. Helbig,...