Recent Research

A recent study explored the impact of dedicated seizure monitoring units (SMUs) on health care utilization, focusing on patients with epilepsy. Conducted in Alberta, Canada, the research analyzed data from 2010 to 2018, examining how admission to these specialized units affected the frequency and cost of health care services for patients both before and after their admission. The researchers wanted to see if being in an SMU would lead to fewer visits to doctors and hospitals in the years that followed.

Epilepsy is a complex neurological condition marked by significant changes in the brain’s neural cells, especially as it develops over time. Researchers have been on a quest to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind epilepsy, and this study dives into how gene regulation plays a crucial role during the progression of the disorder.

Transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare can be a tricky journey, especially for patients with complex epilepsies. A recent study out of Necker–Enfants Malades Hospital sheds light on how a well-structured transition program can make this change smoother and more effective. The focus was on a special day hospital event called the multidisciplinary transition day hospital (MTDH), where patients receive coordinated care from a variety of specialists.

A recent study shines a light on the behavior of children who have newly been diagnosed with epilepsy and how their behavioral challenges can differ significantly from one another. Researchers focused on understanding unique behavioral patterns among these kids, contrasting them with their unaffected siblings. They wanted to see how these behaviors evolved over three years and whether they could identify distinct clusters or “phenotypes” of behavior among the children with epilepsy.

In a recent study, researchers examined a case of CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) in an 11-year-old girl who exhibited severe symptoms related to this rare genetic condition. CDD is primarily characterized by early-onset epilepsy, along with various motor and cognitive challenges. The team utilized advanced genetic testing techniques to identify a novel mutation in the…

The article explores how patients who undergo anterior temporal lobe resection (ATLR) to treat drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) experience changes in their language abilities over time. While it’s known that surgery can lead to language deficits, particularly when the left side of the brain is involved, the study dives deeper into how language functions can adapt and reorganize long after the surgery—up to about nine years later!

In a fascinating study, researchers dove into the brain’s intricate details to better understand why some epilepsy patients exhibit an increased T2 signal intensity (iT2SI) in a specific area of the brain known as the anterior temporal lobe white matter (aTLWM). This condition is often linked to hippocampal sclerosis, a common cause of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) that can significantly affect patients’ lives. By examining 23 patients—16 with the iT2SI and 7 with only hippocampal sclerosis—the team aimed to uncover the underlying histological changes associated with this signal in brain imaging.

A recent study has looked into the eating habits and food preferences of people with Dravet syndrome, a severe type of epilepsy that often starts in infancy. Researchers gathered information from 45 individuals with Dravet syndrome and compared them to a control group of 33 siblings of patients with various forms of epilepsy. Caregivers filled out questionnaires to provide insights into their loved ones’ food likes and eating behaviors, alongside answering open-ended questions about any challenges they face during mealtimes.

A recent study has delved into the intriguing relationship between blood-brain barrier dysfunction (BBBD) and epilepsy, particularly focusing on patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). The blood-brain barrier is a protective shield that controls what substances can enter the brain from the bloodstream. When this barrier becomes compromised, it can lead to a variety of neurological issues, and researchers wanted to see how this dysfunction might manifest in people with epilepsy compared to healthy individuals.