For patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) that can't be controlled by medications, a minimally invasive laser procedure performed under MRI guidance provides a safe and effective alternative to surgery, suggests a study in the June issue of Neurosurgery , official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons . The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins , a part of Wolters Kluwer Health. "Real-time magnetic resonance-guided stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampotomy (SLAH) is a technically novel, safe and effective alternative to open surgery," according to the new research by Dr. Robert E. Gross of Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, and colleagues. MRI Guides Precise Laser Destruction of Area Causing Epilepsy The researchers report their experience with MRI-guided SLAH in 13 adult patients with epilepsy mapped to a part of the brain called the mesial temporal lobe. The patients, median age 24 years, had "intractable" seizures despite treatment with antiepileptic drugs. In the SLAH procedure, a saline-cooled fiberoptic laser probe was precisely targeted to the area of the brain -- the "amygdalohippocampal complex" -- responsible for the procedures. Using real-time MRI guidance, the neurosurgeon was able to pinpoint the area of the brain responsible for seizure activity and destroy … Continue reading →

A new treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy with the potential to suppress seizures on demand with a pill, similar to how you might take painkillers when you feel a headache coming on, has been developed by University College London researchers funded by the Wellcome Trust. The treatment, described in Nature Communications, combines genetic and chemical approaches to suppress seizures without disrupting normal brain function. The technique was demonstrated in rodents but in future we could see people controlling seizures on-demand with a simple pill. Epilepsy affects around 50 million people worldwide including 600,000 in the UK and around a quarter of cases are resistant to conventional treatments. Many of these cases could be addressed by the new treatment method, which relies on genetic modification of brain cells to make them sensitive to a normally inactive compound. First, we inject a modified virus into the area of the brain where seizures arise, explains Professor Dimitri Kullmann of the UCL Institute of Neurology, senior author of the research. This virus instructs the brain cells to make a protein that is activated by CNO (clozapine-N-oxide), a compound that can be taken as a pill. The activated protein then suppresses the over-excitable brain cells that … Continue reading →

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) June 03, 2014 The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) has taken a major step to better understand epilepsy in dogs with the launch of an Epilepsy Research Initiative. The goal of the Initiative is to provide dog owners and the veterinary community with improved methods for preventing and treating epilepsy in dogs. Epilepsy research has been articulated by dog clubs, owners and veterinarians as an unmet need in the field of canine health. The seizure-related syndromes collectively known as epilepsy represent the most common neurological disorders in dogs. Data indicates that half of all dogs diagnosed with epilepsy are not able to achieve relief from seizures with the current drug therapies available, and current treatment options also carry possible negative side-effects. According to Dr. Shila Nordone, CHF Chief Scientific Officer, The Initiative aims to fund research grants that will better classify the disease, provide a more thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms that predispose dogs to epilepsy, and introduce new drugs into the canine epilepsy treatment pipeline. Dr. Nordone goes on to state, CHF strives to be responsive to donors, dog owners and the veterinary community and we expect this major, two-phase research effort to have a … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 3-Jun-2014 Contact: Sheri Ledbetter sledbett@chapman.edu 714-289-3143 Chapman University ORANGE, Calif. Chapman has signed a formal agreement to collaborate with the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), one of the world's largest organizations treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the third largest non-governmental organization contributing to autism research in the United States. The goal of the partnership is to advance the understanding of autism and refine current treatment strategies. In this collaboration, Chapman and CARD will analyze millions of data points collected during evidence-based treatment of children diagnosed with ASD. Chapman's Erik Linstead, Ph.D., assistant professor in the School of Computational Sciences, and CARD's chief strategy officer, Dennis Dixon, Ph.D., will lead a team to data mine de-identified patient data to look for patterns that could make autism treatment more effective. "This collaboration is unique in the scope of the research and analysis in terms of the volume of data being mined," said Daniele Struppa, Chancellor, Chapman University. The CARD Model, which was developed over the past 24 years by leading experts in autism treatment, uses applied behavior analysis (ABA) to treat individuals diagnosed with ASD and assesses patients in every area of human functioning to identify … Continue reading →

A health IT startup plans to help pharma companies reduce drug development costs with a database to anticipate the side effects of their drugs in the early stages of development. Cyclica is one of eight early-stage companies that have been added to StartUp Healths portfolio. The new additions span telemedicine, managing antibiotics treatment and applying predictive analytics to autism treatment. Heres a look at the healthcare startups that will bring its portfolio to 71 companies. ABPathfinder: The Kansas-based companys autism therapy tools help parents and therapists collect data and identify trends that show progress and setbacks for children with autism. The idea is to help identify factors that are improving treatment and hindering progress to develop more effective, customized programs. Its also collaborating with autism education apps such as Brain Parade to include students performance from these apps in its platform. The company was founded in 2010 by Jim Blackwood and Kelly Kerns. Accel Diagnostics: The company wants to make it easier to manage chronic conditions from home. It uses a smartphone-enabled testing device with disposable strips to detect biomarkers in blood or urine. Its lead product, pScreen-BNP, is intended to be used by heart failure patients. Accel was one … Continue reading →

Dr. Tim Watson - Stroke Information Foothills Stroke Doctor, Tim Watson, discusses the advancements that have been made in stroke treatment, including what you can do to prevent them, and more ... By: PCCN Calgary … Continue reading →

Stroke Treatment at Centegra Health System Centegra Health System neurohospitalist Dr. Hsiong Chen describes how he and Centegra's certified stroke center teams treat strokes. By: CentegraHealthSys … Continue reading →

When it comes to surviving a stroke, every second literally counts. In an effort to educate students, their families and the community about the signs and risk factors of stroke, as well as treatment options, physicians and clinicians of the Crozer-Keystone Health System sponsored a contest for local students. This years contest, which charged students with creating a design displaying a stroke-themed message, awarded cash prizes to the top elementary, middle and high school entries. Students submitted their designs along with an informational sheet about stroke awareness and prevention. Nearly 200 entries were submitted by budding Delaware County artists. The committee chose students from Grace Park Elementary School, Garnet Valley Elementary School, Woodlyn Elementary School, and the Taylor Hospital Medical Careers Program as the winners. The Medical Careers Program is a collaborative effort between Crozer-Keystone and Delaware County Technical Schools that provides comprehensive instruction and hands-on experience to students from several area high schools. The stroke contests winning high school students attend Academy Park High School, Springfield High School; and Strath Haven High School. As usual, the entries this year were simply amazing, says Gregory Cuculino, M.D., chairman of the Emergency Medicine Department at Taylor Hospital and Delaware County Memorial … Continue reading →