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New Brain Target Key to Easing Tough-to-Treat Epilepsy
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- April 17, 2024
- Full Page
Some people with tough-to-treat epilepsy might benefit if doctors target a brain region newly linked to the disorder, a new study suggests.
Common Epilepsy, Migraine Drug Won't Raise Odds for Autism in Offspring
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- March 21, 2024
- Full Page
A common antiseizure drug used to treat epilepsy, migraines and bipolar disorder does not appear to increase the risk of autism for kids exposed to it in the womb, ...
Service Dogs May Lessen Seizure Frequency in Folks With Epilepsy
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- February 29, 2024
- Full Page
Perhaps by reducing anxiety, a service dog can help reduce seizures in people with tough-to-treat epilepsy, a new study finds.
A group of 25 study participants had an average 31% fewer seizures after months of owning a service dog trained to help people with epilepsy.
Spotting Epilepsy in Kids Isn't Always Easy: Know the Signs
- Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
- December 6, 2023
- Full Page
Neurologist Dr. Deborah Holder says she often has parents come to her with kids who've experienced what they call "funny spells."
“Sometimes I start talking to a parent and find out the par...
Cognitive Decline May Come Earlier for People With Epilepsy
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- December 5, 2023
- Full Page
People with epilepsy suffer quicker declines in thinking than people without the brain disorder, particularly if they also have risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes, a new study finds.
The difference was significant: Over the course of the 14-year study, tho...
Surgery Helps Kids With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy, But Race Could Hinder Access
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- December 5, 2023
- Full Page
Black, Hispanic and low-income kids are less likely to receive surgery that can treat their drug-resistant epilepsy, a new study finds.
Researchers discovered that children on anti-seizure drugs who received vagus nerve stimulation were 35% more likely to be alive after ...
Teens With Epilepsy Face Higher Odds for Eating Disorders
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- December 4, 2023
- Full Page
Teenagers with epilepsy are more likely to have an eating disorder than those not suffering from the brain disease, a new study shows.
About 8.4% of children ages 10 to 19 treated at a Boston epilepsy clinic had eating disorders, three times the national average of 2.7% ...
Could You Recognize the More Subtle Signs of a Seizure?
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- November 2, 2023
- Full Page
A seizure doesn't always look like what you see in the movies, but a new survey finds most Americans don't know what the more subtle signs of seizures are.
“Anything that interrupts your brain's circuit can cause seizures, from tumors, infections and strokes to high or...
Experimental Drug Could Rein in Epilepsy Seizures
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- October 10, 2023
- Full Page
For people with tough-to-treat epilepsy, seizures can be both frightening and dangerous, but a new experimental pill may bring significant relief to over one-third of them.
Dubbed XEN1101, the new drug reduced the frequency of seizures by more than 50%, or even eliminate...
Seizures While Driving Highlight Importance of Early Diagnosis of Epilepsy
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 9, 2023
- Full Page
Before learning they had epilepsy, about 5% of people who have what's called focal epilepsy had a seizure while driving, new research suggests.
“Seizures while driving pose substantial risks for those experiencing them and for others on the road,” said study author ...
Alzheimer's Genes Might Also Raise Odds for Epilepsy
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 25, 2023
- Full Page
People with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's disease may have an increased risk of epilepsy, a new study says. And folks with a certain type of epilepsy may have higher odds of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Having Alzheimer's was linked to a 5.3% increased risk...
Neighborhoods May Matter When It Comes to Epilepsy
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 20, 2023
- Full Page
For people with epilepsy, living in lower-income neighborhoods is associated with worse mental functioning, new research suggests.
For the study, the researchers looked at the memory, thinking ability and mental health of people with epilepsy, and found differences based...
Fear of Public Spaces Is Common in People With Epilepsy
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- January 30, 2023
- Full Page
Many adults with epilepsy have agoraphobia, or a fear of public places, new research suggests.
That impacts quality of life and is something doctors should include in other screening that looks for anxiety or depression, the investigators said.
"We know that agora...
Black, Hispanic People With Epilepsy Often Miss Out on Latest Meds
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- January 12, 2023
- Full Page
American adults who have epilepsy and are Black or Hispanic are less likely than white adults to be prescribed the latest medications, according to new research.
“While finding the right medication is often a trial-and-error process that is based on the individual, stu...
Severe Seizures Are Rising, Especially Among Minorities
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- December 5, 2022
- Full Page
Growing numbers of Americans are suffering prolonged, life-threatening seizures known as status epilepticus, and Black people are nearly twice as likely to experience these seizures as white people.
These are the main findings from new research looking at hospitaliz...
Vicious Cycle: Epilepsy Seizures Could Encourage More Seizures
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- December 5, 2022
- Full Page
Seizures tend to get progressively worse over time in people with epilepsy, and a new study in mice suggests why that might be the case.
Seizures appear to prompt the brains of mice to produce more myelin, the insulating layer around nerve cells, researchers from Stanfor...
Cost of Epilepsy Meds Continues to Soar
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 2, 2022
- Full Page
Costs for epilepsy medications in the United States are skyrocketing, outpacing inflation and straining federal insurers Medicare and Medicaid, according to new research.
Spending on antiseizure medications more than doubled in eight years for the government insurers, la...
Seizures Seem Tied to Faster Decline in People With Dementia
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 2, 2022
- Full Page
Dementia patients who suffer from seizures tend to decline faster and die younger, according to a new study that urges caregivers to watch for these sudden brain changes.
"Our hope is that controlling seizures by prescribing antiseizure medications to these patients will...
Seizure Risk Rises in Months After COVID
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- November 17, 2022
- Full Page
A bout of COVID-19, even a milder one, may raise the risk of having a seizure in the next six months, a large new study suggests.
Researchers found that of over 300,000 Americans who had suffered a case of COVID-19 or the flu, COVID sufferers were 55% more likely to be d...
Weight-Loss Surgery Linked to New-Onset Epilepsy
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- September 29, 2022
- Full Page
Weight-loss surgery can change a person's life and health, but new research warns it might also come with a slight risk of developing epilepsy.
People who had the surgery had a 45% relative increased risk of developing
Could High-Dose Folic Acid Raise COVID Risks?
- By Sydney Murphy HealthDay Reporter
- September 6, 2022
- Full Page
Folic acid, a B vitamin that's used widely to fortify foods and lower the risk of birth defects, may carry a hidden risk for those who have to take huge quantities of it: A new study shows those folks were more likely to get COVID-19 and to die from it.
“We examined wh...
Pregnancy Can Be Anxious Time for Women With Epilepsy
- By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 18, 2022
- Full Page
Pregnant women with epilepsy battle anxiety and depression more often than their peers who aren't pregnant or don't have epilepsy, a new study reveals.
"The good news is we did not find that pregnant women with epilepsy were any more likely to have episodes of
Cost of Brand-Name Epilepsy Meds Is Soaring
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- June 16, 2022
- Full Page
Managing epilepsy is an increasingly expensive process in the United States, with prices of brand-name anti-seizure drugs nearly quadrupling over eight years, a new study finds.
From 2010 to 2018, the cost of brand-named epilepsy drugs, including meds like Vimpat (lacosa...
No Link Between Antidepressants in Pregnancy, Epilepsy in Children
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- May 12, 2022
- Full Page
There's good news for women with a mental health condition: Taking antidepressants early in pregnancy doesn't increase a baby's risk of having epilepsy or seizures, researchers say.
"The findings of this study are very important," said study co-author Ayesha Sujan of Ind...
Some Health Conditions Greatly Raise Drowning Risks
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 9, 2022
- Full Page
With summer comes warm weather and swimming. But for some people, knowing how to swim may not be enough to ensure their safety.
That's because certain medical conditions bump up the risk for drowning in a big way, according to a new Canadian study.
About one in th...
Scientists Pinpoint Why Epilepsy Seizures Rise in Pregnancy
- February 15, 2022
- Full Page
Many women with epilepsy have breakthrough seizures when they get pregnant, and researchers say they've figured out why.
Their new study shows that pregnan...
Brain Implant for Adults With Epilepsy Can Help Kids, Too
- Adam Meyer HealthDay Reporter
- January 24, 2022
- Full Page
A brain implant that helps control severe epilepsy in adults may do the same for children who suffer from unrelenting seizures, new research suggests.
New Clues to Sudden Unexplained Deaths in Young Kids
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- December 28, 2021
- Full Page
Every year in the United States, a few hundred children die suddenly and without explanation. Now researchers have found gene variants that may contribute to some of those tragic deaths.
The hope, experts said, is that understanding the underlying mechanisms will eventua...
Scientists Find Clue to Links Between Autism, Epilepsy
- Robert Preidt
- December 20, 2021
- Full Page
Kids with autism have low levels of a protein that quiets overactive brain cells, which may explain why so many have epilepsy, according to a new study.
Because the protein can be detected in cerebrospinal fluid, it may have promise as a marker to diagnose
Medical Marijuana May Help Ease Severe Epilepsy in Kids: Study
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- December 15, 2021
- Full Page
Kids with severe epilepsy may take multiple medications and follow special diets, yet still suffer seizures. Now a small study suggests medical marijuana may sometimes help when other therapies fail.
British researchers found that medical pot slashed seizures by almost 9...
What's Behind Unexplained Epilepsy in Kids? A Gene Test May Tell
- Robert Preidt
- December 7, 2021
- Full Page
Genetic testing can help guide management and treatment of unexplained epilepsy in children, new research suggests.
"A genetic diagnosis impacted medical management for nearly three out of four children in our study," said study author Dr. Isabel Haviland. She's a postdo...
Lifetime Spent With Epilepsy Ages the Brain, Study Finds
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- December 6, 2021
- Full Page
People with a longtime history of epilepsy show signs of rapid brain aging that may raise their odds for developing dementia down the road.
This is the key finding of new research reporting that the brains of people with epilepsy that began in childhood appear to be abou...
Coming Soon: A Wearable Device to Predict Epileptic Seizures
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- November 17, 2021
- Full Page
Claire Wiedmaier experiences epileptic seizures so bad that she's broken teeth while in their grip.
"I have some fake teeth. I broke my two bottom front teeth," said Wiedmaier, 23, of Ankeny, Iowa, who these days can expect to have at least four seizures a month.
K...
Pet Dogs Can Alert Owners to Epileptic Seizures
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- September 8, 2021
- Full Page
Sit. Fetch. Stay.
Detect seizure.
Yes, you read that correctly.
While many dogs are adept at following basic instructions such as "sit" and "roll over" with some practice and the promise of a treat, new research shows dogs can detect seizures by scent up to a...
Therapeutic Brain Implant Won't Alter Personality in Epilepsy Patients: Study
- September 7, 2021
- Full Page
Implanted brain stimulation devices used to treat epilepsy won't turn patients into someone they don't recognize, a small study shows.
"We found that the brain implants did not transform patients' sense of self or personality. Neither the long-term implantation of the el...
Insights Into Genes Driving Epilepsy Could Help With Treatment
- September 6, 2021
- Full Page
Danish researchers have found genetic causes for epilepsy in half of children they studied and said half of those could be treated with targeted therapies.
That's the upshot of genetic testing of 290 children born between 2006 and 2011. Some had been diagnosed with epile...
Time to Rethink Suicide Warnings on Labels for Anti-Seizure Meds?
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- August 4, 2021
- Full Page
Since 2008, anti-seizure drugs have carried a warning that they may increase users' suicide risk. But a new analysis finds no evidence of such a risk with newer medications.
Researchers found that five medications approved since 2008 showed no link to suicide risk among ...
Adults With ADHD May Face Higher Odds for Physical Illnesses: Study
- Cara Murez
- July 12, 2021
- Full Page
While people with ADHD experience the inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity that are hallmarks of the disorder, they also may need to be aware of their higher risk for many physical diseases.
New research has identified higher risks in nervous system, respiratory,...
Are Babies With Seizures Overmedicated?
- Robert Preidt
- May 25, 2021
- Full Page
Long-term use of anti-seizure medications in babies who had seizures soon after birth may not be necessary and could be harmful, a new study suggests.
Newborns who have seizures after birth are at risk of long-term conditions such as developmental delays, cerebral palsy ...
Why Sleep Raises Risk for Sudden Death in People With Epilepsy
- Robert Preidt
- May 10, 2021
- Full Page
New research gives insight into why people with epilepsy are at increased risk of sudden death during sleep.
The study found that both sleep and epileptic seizures work together to slow heart rate, and that seizures also disrupt the body's natural regulation of sleep-rel...
Brain Injuries Raise Long-Term Risk of Stroke
- Robert Preidt
- April 21, 2021
- Full Page
People who suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have a significantly higher risk for stroke for years afterward, U.K. researchers say.
Previous studies have linked brain injury with a long-term risk of neurological diseases including dementia, Parkinson's and epilepsy, ...
Did CBD Oil for Seizures Push a 2-Year-Old Boy Into Puberty?
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- April 16, 2021
- Full Page
CBD oil used to curb seizures in a 2-year-old with epilepsy may be linked to the boy developing signs of a very early puberty, a British case study reports.
The incident is outlined in the April 15 issue of the journal BMJ Case Reports.
Doctors reported th...
Reassuring News for Women Taking Epilepsy Meds While Pregnant
- Robert Preidt
- March 5, 2021
- Full Page
Toddlers whose mothers took certain epilepsy drugs during pregnancy are unlikely to have development delays, researchers say. The study may help clear up lingering doubts about use of the drugs by moms-to-be.
Controlling seizures is crucial, of course.
"Having a se...
As Testing Costs Rise, Neurology Patients May Skip Screening
- December 24, 2020
- Full Page
Rising out-of-pocket costs for neurological tests could lead many Americans to forgo them, researchers warn.
Their study, published online Dec. 23 in the journal Neurology, analyzed neurology care costs for more than 3.7 million people in a large private insuran...
A Better, Safer Way to Rid Some Kids of Seizures?
- Cara Murez
- December 8, 2020
- Full Page
Children with tough-to-treat epilepsy now have another choice to help them live a life free of seizures, a new study suggests.
MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy, a minimally invasive procedure for kids who have drug-resistant epilepsy, is successful in more ...
Sudden Death More Common Than Thought in Very Young With Epilepsy
- Robert Preidt
- December 4, 2020
- Full Page
Sudden, epilepsy-related death is more common than thought in infants and children, a new study suggests.
It also found that Black and multiracial youngsters are at higher risk for what's known as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
It occurs in otherwise ...
Young Epilepsy Patients May Benefit From Mental Health Screening
- Robert Preidt
- December 4, 2020
- Full Page
Depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts are more common in children and teens with epilepsy than previously known, and they should be screened for such problems, researchers report.
They assessed 119 children and teens, aged 9 to18, with epilepsy. None had been diagnos...
Fewer ER Visits for Asthma Crises After Obamacare: Study
- Cara Murez
- November 16, 2020
- Full Page
Ambulances made fewer trips transporting patients with asthma emergencies in New York City after the Affordable Care Act went into effect, new research shows.
The likely reason for the decline: Patients had greater access to outpatient management of their condition, the ...
Epilepsy Meds During Pregnancy May Raise Autism Risk in Child
- Serena Gordon
- October 30, 2020
- Full Page
Women who take the epilepsy medication valproic acid during pregnancy have more than twice the risk of having a child with autism, new research suggests.
The study also found that taking the drug during pregnancy almost doubled the odds that a child would have attention-...
Hard-to-Detect Form of Epilepsy Can Lead to Car Crashes
- Cara Roberts Murez
- October 26, 2020
- Full Page
The most common form of epilepsy is a risk factor for car crashes, yet it can have such subtle symptoms that it often goes undiagnosed for an extended period of time, even years.
Researchers said the failure to recognize symptoms of subtle seizures is the main reason...