The Latest Epilepsy Research

CURE Epilepsy is dedicated to funding patient-focused research to find a cure for the 65 million people with epilepsy worldwide. This month, we share the following articles and abstracts which are furthering the study of epilepsy and bringing the world closer to a cure.

Gene Linked to Epilepsy, Autism Decoded in New Study


A new Northwestern Medicine study helps explain how changes in the SCN2A gene affect whether a child will develop autism or epilepsy, the age at which seizures start for those with epilepsy, and the severity of the child's other impairments. The study represents a collaboration between an academic laboratory at Northwestern and the FamilieSCN2A Foundation, a parent-led rare disease advocacy group. The SCN2A Clinical Trials Readiness Study (SCN2A-CTRS) recruited 81 families from around the world and collected detailed clinical data and information to identify their SCN2A variants.

New Research Finds Half of People Living with Dravet Syndrome Experience Feeding Problems


A study has found that over half of children and adults with Dravet syndrome have experienced some form of feeding problem, with some reporting multiple issues. Dravet syndrome is a rare and complex type of epilepsy associated with difficult to treat seizures, as well as intellectual and behavioral difficulties. Around one in five people with Dravet syndrome involved with the study had a feeding tube, known as a gastrostomy, and this course of action was being considered for an additional five percent. Almost nine in ten caregivers who were interviewed said they were worried about their child having a feeding tube before it was inserted, but a similarly high proportion reported after the procedure that it had improved their child’s ability to take medication, overall health and quality of life.

Emergency Departments Frequently Miss Signs of Epilepsy in Children


A subtle type of seizure goes undetected two-thirds of the time in pediatric emergency departments, a new study shows. The work focuses on “nonmotor” seizures, which cause children to ‘zone out’ and stare into space or fidget. Children may also feel sudden changes in emotions, thoughts, or sensations. According to the authors, improving recognition of nonmotor seizures may speed up the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in children, who often struggle to describe their symptoms to physicians, or are not asked to do so. Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the analysis involved 83 preteens and teens in treatment for epilepsy. Because seizures are easy to overlook or confuse for anxiety and panic attacks, the authors say it is critical that healthcare providers screen for signs of nonmotor seizures. To better understand how well such nonconvulsive episodes are spotted by physicians and patients alike, the researchers first explored how likely a child was to seek medical attention for their symptoms before they were aware that they had epilepsy.

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