ABC Current epilepsy treatments just suppress seizures using medication. Melbourne researchers say they have identified the genetic causes of the most common types of epilepsy, bringing them one step closer to finding a cure for the condition. Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes recurrent seizures and affects about two percent of people in Australia. A total of 8,000 people in Australia, Asia, North America and Europe were screened using new technology to provide them with a large enough sample to identify the two recurring genes. The head of medicine at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne, Professor Terry O'Brien, was involved in the Australian arm of the study. He told AM the study was a significant breakthrough for genetic generalised epilepsies. "What we discovered is that there are two genes that seem to be particularly important in determining this form of epilepsy," Professor O'Brien said. "One is probably not all that surprising. It's in a gene that is called an ion channel, one of the proteins that triggers nerve cells to fire. "But the other is in a gene that's called protocadherin, which is involved with how nerve cells connect up together, which is something that … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise WEST HARTFORD, Conn., September 3, 2014 The American Epilepsy Society (AES) is pleased to announce that it has received $60,000 in grants from Upsher-Smith, the pharmaceutical company based in Maple Grove, Minnesota. The funds will help to support three major AES programs: the AES Fellows Program, the Self Assessment in Epilepsy (SAE) and the Seed Grant Program, with $20,000 earmarked for each. This funding will support a wide array of AES members and research ranging from young professionals, to research laboratories and members of the higher education community. The AES Fellows Program supports young professionals in their research and training in epilepsy. The fellowship program provides selected fellows with mentoring and additional training at a critical point in their professional development. AES believes the future of clinical and basic science research in epilepsy is dependent on engaging and developing these young researchers to assure that they are successful in and remain committed to the specialty, and this program is one step toward that goal. The SAE can be used for ABPN MOC Part IV requirements and also as a study resource for the Epilepsy Added Qualification/Subspecialty Exam. The ABPN Exam was launched … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise West Hartford, Conn., September 3, 2014 The American Epilepsy Society is proud to announce an increase in Impact Factor for its literature surveillance publication, Epilepsy Currents. For the 2013 year Epilepsy Currents received 2.952 a substantial increase from the 2012 Impact Factor of 2.333 (Epilepsy Currents scored a 2.159 in 2011). Epilepsy Currents is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal that provides brief expert commentary on abstracts in selected basic science and clinical topics, as well as succinct literature reviews on topics selected by the editorial board. Commentaries and reviews are written by distinguished contributing editors - all of whom are AES members - in addition to invited authors. The journal is available online to AES Members and non-members, and the printed volumes are sent to all AES members bi-monthly and have a total circulation of more than 3,000. I want to thank and congratulate the entire editorial team for their hard work and dedication to this publication, said Eileen Murray, the executive director of the American Epilepsy Society. The increase in Impact Factor is a testament to the rigorous standards and high-quality of the publication and of our editors contributions and a reflection … Continue reading →

TIME Health Drugs Finally, Some Hard Science on Medical Marijuana for Epilepsy Patients Matt Figi hugs his 7-year-old daughter Charlotte inside a Colorado greenhouse. The plants are a special strain of medical marijuana known as Charlotte's Web, which was named for Charlotte after she used the plant to treat epileptic seizures Brennan LinsleyAP A groundbreaking clinical trial may provide some answers to medical marijuana as a seizure treatment For years, some parents have turned to medical marijuana to treat their childrens debilitating epilepsy, crediting the drug with dramatically reducing seizure activity. A groundbreaking clinical trial about to begin recruiting test subjects may finally provide some science to back their claims. In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, researchers at the University of Colorado, Denver will study the genes of those with a kind of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome who have been treated with a strain of medical marijuana known as Charlottes Web. The study will attempt to determine if specific genetic components can explain why some epilepsy patients see positive results from ingesting Charlottes Web, while others do not. The plant, grown by five brothers in Colorado through a non-profit organization called Realm of Caring, … Continue reading →

If anyone saw the news item heralding a possible drug cure for autism and was elated but confused, let me try to explain the thinking as best I can. A protein present extensively in infants prunes synapses, the connections between brain and nervous system cells, enabling us to function effectively in the world with neither too little nor too much stimulation. This protein is somewhat lacking in some infants, allowing too much stimulation, and is called autism or the autism spectrum. This protein is present throughout life but is largely inactive. It can become active in later life, often triggered by another protein, a body or brain injury like a stroke (even glaucoma, it appears), inflammation or old age. If synaptic pruning is again activated, it results in dementia or Alzheimers. Lending some credence to this line of thought is the fact that people with autism appear to be less susceptible to Alzheimers. It sounds dreary, but all is not lost. The cells involved are neuroglial cells, formerly thought merely to be supportive, structurally and nutritively, in the brain and nervous system. They are actually part of the immune system and may be normalized by a bone marrow transplant. This … Continue reading →

We dont know the exact cause of autism it has both environmental and genetic influences but we do know that prevalence has increased tenfold in the past few decades, and that early intervention is critical for its treatment. Key to early intervention, of course, is early diagnosis. Boston-area startup SynapDx is developing a blood test to help diagnose autism, with aims to bring the age of diagnosis much lower than it istoday. Its test, which identifies biomarkers that the company itself has found associated with autism, is meant to be given to kids who are showing symptoms of an autism spectrum disorder. Our idea was to create a simple blood test to look at markers in the blood associated with autism, but not with other developmental disorders, CEO Stanley Lapidus said. So far, the companys finding that the test is showing 90 percent sensitivity, but Lapidus iskeeping mum on when it plans to commercialize its product. But its certainly well-capitalized for the job -since its launchin 2009, SynapDx has raised about $34 million, with its mostrecent round of $15.4 millionprovided by Google Ventures in 2013. SynapDx has been cherry-picked to be featured in next weeks TedMed Hive. Autism prevalence has … Continue reading →

As a result of their partnership with the University of Kansas Hospital,Hays Medical Center brought in a Tele-Stroke robot at the beginning of August, which allows local doctors to connect with doctors outside the region in order to assist in treatments for stroke patients. The robot is equipped with a camera that can turn to scan an entire room connected to a screen, microphone, and speakers. It is also equipped with a height adjustable handle and wheels to allow for mobility around the room. The robot is a 24/7 assistance line between doctors of different regions. The stroke neurologist and physicians at KU can actually visualize [the process] at any time wherever theyre at, said Carol Groen, director of special projects. It is an important edition to the Hays Medical Center because real-time assistance between the working doctor and the specialists is crucial when handling stroke patients. Through a laptop or an iPad, the doctor can control the robot from wherever they are, Groen said. Having the tele-medicine piece actually allows the physician on the other end to beam in on the patient and be able to see the exam that the physician in Hays is doing, Groen said. Typical … Continue reading →