PLEASANTON -- Justin Wan is not one to radiate unfettered optimism or make bold statements about his future. More than 10 years of battling epilepsy will do that to a person who never knows when the next seizure will strike. Wan can't drive, swim alone or live by himself. Crossing streets, taking a bath, riding a bike and new environments in general can pose unforeseen perils and pitfalls. This time last year, Wan, 20, often couldn't make it more than week without an epileptic attack and his senses were dulled by heavy doses of anti-seizure medications. But today, the only outward sign that he suffered from debilitating seizures is a small staple scar on the top of his head, hidden by a headful of thick black hair -- where surgeons in December inserted a tiny laser that zapped out a lesion in his brain. He hasn't had a seizure since. "It was on this side somewhere," the San Jose State junior said, feeling around with his fingers on his cranium's right side. "I was prepared for anything to backfire, but so far, everything is fine," Wan said, reaching for his family's wooden coffee table to give it a good knock … Continue reading →

Generalised tonic-clonic seizures are one of the most dangerous types of seizure.[2] The seizures start with a loss of consciousness and a sudden contraction of the muscles, which can cause the person to fall down (tonic phase). This is followed by violent convulsions (clonic phase) until the muscles finally relax.[3] The filing in this new indication is based on data from Study 332,[4] a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, multicentre, parallel-group trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjunctive perampanel for refractory PGTC seizures. 164 people (>12 years old) with PGTC seizures, despite treatment with one to three concomitant AEDs were randomised to receive perampanel or placebo in a 1:1 ratio. Results demonstrate that perampanel significantly reduces PGTC seizure frequency and improved responder rates (50% reduction in seizure frequency per 28 days in the maintenance period, relative to baseline), the study's two primary outcome measures, when compared to placebo. The most frequent adverse events (10% in the perampanel arm and greater than placebo) are dizziness, fatigue and headache, irritability and somnolence. The adverse event profile is similar to that for other perampanel studies.[4] "Tonic-clonic seizures are very serious and can have a profound effect on quality of life for people with … Continue reading →

If you go What: Yoga classes for children with autism and disabilities, organized by the nonprofit Pop.Earth When: Ages 5-10, 11 a.m.-noon Saturday; ages 11-17, 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.. Where: The Yoga Pod, at the Twenty Ninth Street Mall, 1750 29th St., unit 2020, Boulder Cost: $15 drop-in; four classes for $40; or sliding scale to free. Info: popearth.org When you have a child with special needs, you never know what to expect when you open that car door, says Debbie Stone. She says she wanted to do everything she possibly could to help her son after he was diagnosed with autism, but the idea of shuffling him from one treatment to the next only some of which were covered by insurance was a nightmare. If only one single place offered all his treatments in one location, and if only the programs were low-cost or free, she thought. In 2012, she decided to do something about it. Stone created the New York-based nonprofit Pop.Earth, which offers low-cost holistic services for children with autism and other developmental disorders. View original post here: Yoga for autism … Continue reading →

One in six people will suffer a stroke in their lifetime. With changing lifestyles, stroke has become more prevalent in developing countries like the Philippines and around the world, with stroke as the second leading cause of death. It is the leading cause of chronic disability in adults and the second leading cause of dementia. Lower national income has been associated with higher relative mortality and burden of disease from stroke. One third of stroke survivors are left permanently disabled for life and three quarters are vocationally impaired. Such is the burden of stroke. Dedication of the Brain Attack AGPAS Team with Dr. Ramon Moreno (photo courtesy of Dr. Art Surdilla) Last August 8, 2014, the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) launched a three-pronged counter attack on stroke with the inauguration of its 11-bed Neuro Intensive-Acute Stroke Unit and 10-bed Stroke Ward, dedication of the AGPAS (Active Group of People Against Stroke) Team , and the launching of the I-DALI Mo early stroke recognition advocacy campaign. I-DALI Mo aims to ramp up public awareness about stroke and make Northern Mindanao a stroke-smart region, with the capability to effectively prevent, treat and rehabilitate stroke patients, said Dr. Arturo F Surdilla, MD, … Continue reading →