Seizure

Valproate is used for treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorders. It is the most effective treatment for generalised or unclassified epilepsy [1]. However, exposure to valproate in utero is also associated with substantial teratogenic risks, including major congenital malformations (around 10%) [2], cognitive (30-40% exposed have significant reduction of IQ [3] and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder [4]. This has led to the introduction of measures to reduce the use of valproate in women of childbearing potential.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a leading cause of sudden death in patients with epilepsy, and the incidence of SUDEP ranges from 1.1 to 5.9 per 1000 patient-years in epilepsy clinic populations [1–3]. Presence of generalized convulsive seizure (GCS) and ≥3 GCS per year have been proved to be associated with a higher risk of SUDEP [3–5]. Although the mechanism of SUDEP remains controversial, recent studies have focused on determining pathophysiology and electroclinical risk factors for SUDEP as ...

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological conditions worldwide. Epilepsy is characterized by unprovoked recurrent seizures [1]. Globally, epilepsy affects more than 65 million people [2]. The prevalence of epilepsy among women was estimated at 6.85 cases per 1,000 women [3]. It has been estimated that approximately 50% of women with epilepsy (WWE) were of childbearing age (15-49 years) [4]. Today, approximately 15 million women of childbearing age are affected by epilepsy around the globe [5].

Epileptic spasms (ES) are a distinct seizure type, which consist of brief tonic contraction of axial muscles, usually less than 5 seconds, and may be flexor, extensor or mixed. Infantile Spasms (IS) are a subtype of ES typically seen in infants between 2 months and 2 years of age, with peak age of onset around 5-6 months. Outside this age range, the term ES is more inclusive [1]. ES usually occur in clusters, often on awakening from sleep. International league ...

Caregiver burden is a broad, multidimensional construct that reflects the unique caregiving experience for individuals from different backgrounds, with differing levels of resilience and resources, facing distinctive illness-specific symptoms [1].

Epileptic disorders are common and impose a substantial burden on individuals and society as a whole [1,2]. Status epilepticus (SE) represents an acute, unpredictable neurological emergency, associated with inpatient treatment, high morbidity, and mortality [3,4]. The incidence of SE in childhood ranges from 13 to 23/100,000.[5] It varies at different ages with a peak within the first year of life [6].

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of drug-resistant focal epilepsy (DRE) and accounts for two-thirds of all patients with intractable epilepsy who undergo surgery. Currently, 30–50% of patients who undergo TLE surgery fail to achieve seizure freedom after five years1,2. There is a paucity of biomarkers for the prognostication of outcomes after epilepsy surgery.

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases, imposing a heavy burden on patients and society, with about 70 million people estimated to be affected worldwide [1]. More significantly, in 30% of the patients, epilepsy is drug-resistant and cannot be effectively controlled by antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) [2]. For such patients, surgical intervention is the main therapeutic option, and about 60% of the patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy become seizure-free after resective epilepsy surgery [3].

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease with a significant impact on the quality of life of patients [1]. Approximately 40% of patients with focal epilepsy are drug-resistant [2]. Surgical treatment should be considered in these cases. Seizure freedom or a marked (>90%) reduction in seizures in approximately two-thirds of cases can be achieved with epilepsy surgery in children [3,4]. Furthermore, in younger patients, early seizure control can avoid developmental delays [5].

It is part of the human condition that adversities which affect people close to us have stronger emotional effects – and release greater energies – than traumas happening to those we are less immediately connected with. This means that it is justifiable that a scientific publication which calls itself the “European Journal of Epilepsy” should respond to a war in a European country, especially when this war does not only pose an immediate threat to the lives of people with ...