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Epilepsy Press Releases
Tuesday, Sep 3, 2013
According to new research on epilepsy, zebrafish have certainly earned their stripes. Results of a study in Nature Communications
suggest that zebrafish carrying a specific mutation may help researchers discover treatments for Dravet syndrome (DS), a severe
form of pediatric epilepsy that results in drug-resistant seizures and developmental delays.
Sunday, Aug 11, 2013
A genetic study of childhood epilepsies has linked two new genes to severe forms of disease and provides a novel strategy
for identifying therapy targets. This study used a cutting-edge genetic technique, called exome sequencing, to search for
new mutations that are not inherited. The results suggest this may be a highly effective way to find and confirm many disease-causing
gene mutations.
Thursday, Jul 25, 2013
Silk has walked straight off the runway and into the lab. According to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation,
silk implants placed in the brain of laboratory animals and designed to release a specific chemical, adenosine, may help stop
the progression of epilepsy. The research was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), which are part of the National Institutes of
Health.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
NIH researchers used the popular anti-wrinkle agent, Botox®, to discover a new and important role for a group of molecules
that nerve cells use to quickly send messages. This novel role for the molecules, called SNARES, may be a missing step scientists
have been searching for as a way to fully understand how brain cells communicate under normal and disease conditions.
Thursday, Apr 4, 2013
How does the brain remember? A growing body of evidence suggests that sleep is important, especially a sleep stage called
nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. During NREM, the brain undergoes unique waves of electrical activity called sleep spindles.
Previous studies suggested that spindles represent learning activity. Currently scientists are debating whether spindles
occur synchronously, throughout the entire brain, or locally in the areas involved with something new.
Wednesday, Nov 7, 2012
Febrile seizures during childhood are usually benign, but when prolonged, they can foreshadow an increased risk of epilepsy
later. A new study suggests that brain imaging and recordings of brain activity could help identify the children at highest
risk. It shows that within days of a prolonged febrile seizure, some children have signs of acute brain injury, abnormal
brain anatomy, and/or altered brain activity.
Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012
Hundreds of NIH-funded studies are being presented at the 2012 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting. Here, the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has highlighted a selection of studies and events led by our grantees.
Thursday, Sep 20, 2012
The NINDS announced that four new members have joined its National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council: E.
Antonio Chiocca, M.D., Ph.D., David B. Goldstein, Ph.D., Byron D. Ford, Ph.D., and Amy Comstock Rick, J.D. The council serves
as the principal advisory body to NINDS regarding the institute’s research program planning and priorities.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Researchers show how immune cells in the brain target and remove unused connections, or synapses, between neurons during normal
development. Immune cells known as microglia respond to neuronal activity to select synapses to prune, and eliminate synapses
in the way that bacterial cells or other pathogenic debris are eliminated.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Like all machines, ion channels – the machines that power nerve cell firing and muscle contraction – operate less efficiently
in the cold. That poses a challenge for animals that live in icy environments. A new study shows that octopi in polar climates
solve the problem by modifying their ion channels through a process called RNA editing.
Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012
Drug delivery into muscle using an autoinjector, akin to the EpiPen used to treat serious allergic reactions, is faster and
may be a more effective way to stop status epilepticus, a prolonged seizure lasting longer than five minutes, according to
a study sponsored by NIH. Status epilepticus is a potentially life-threatening emergency, and is usually treated with anticonvulsant
drugs delivered intravenously.
Sunday, Nov 13, 2011
NIH-funded researchers have developed a flexible brain implant that could one day be used to treat epileptic seizures. In
animal studies, the researchers used the device – a type of electrode array – to take an unprecedented look at brain activity
during seizures. Someday, these arrays could be used to pinpoint where seizures start in the brain and perhaps to shut them
down, the researchers say.
Sunday, Sep 11, 2011
Brain tumors called gliomas are often associated with seizures, but why the seizures occur and how to effectively treat them
have been elusive. New research shows that gliomas release excess levels of the brain chemical glutamate, overstimulating
neurons and triggering seizures. Sulfasalazine, a drug on the market for treating certain inflammatory disorders, reduced
seizures in mice with gliomas.
Wednesday, Nov 10, 2010
Researchers led by Eric Gouaux at Oregon Health and Science University have built a three-dimensional image of a glutamate
receptor, a workhorse protein of brain communications. The scientists uncovered the receptor’s form by bombarding it with
X-rays – a technology called X-ray crystallography. The findings are expected to yield new insights into receptors and their
critical role in thinking, learning and memory.
Wednesday, Oct 27, 2010
A study published in Nature found that when research subjects had their brains connected to a computer displaying two merged
images, they could force the computer to display one of the images and discard the other. The signals transmitted from each
subject’s brain to the computer were derived from just a handful of brain cells.
Friday, Sep 17, 2010
In the brains and hearts of animal models, neuroscientists have uncovered new clues about molecular triggers for sudden unexplained
death in epilepsy, or SUDEP. Evidence from two studies linked SUDEP to faulty ion channels, protein gateways essential for
transmitting electrical signals. The discoveries could help medical researchers predict or find ways to reduce the risk of
death in epilepsy.
Monday, Apr 19, 2010
Scientists have developed a brain implant that essentially melts into place, snugly fitting to the brain’s surface. The ultrathin
flexible implants, made partly from silk, can record brain activity more faithfully than thicker implants embedded with similar
electronics. The technology could pave the way for better devices to monitor and control seizures, and to transmit signals
from the brain past damaged parts of the spinal cord.
Clinical Trial for Childhood Absence Epilepsy Identifies Differences in Seizure Control and Side EffectsThursday, Mar 4, 2010
The first comprehensive comparative effectiveness clinical trial of three widely used anti-seizure drugs for childhood absence
epilepsy – the most common form of epilepsy in kids – has established an evidence-based approach for initial drug therapy.
Four New Members Appointed to National Neurological Disorders and Stroke Advisory Council Thursday, Feb 4, 2010
Four New Members Appointed to National Neurological Disorders and Stroke Advisory Council
Thursday, Oct 29, 2009
Commonly used anti-seizure medications do not work as effectively in newborns as they do in adults and children. A new study
funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) helps explain why, and suggests that effective
treatment for newborn seizures could be a matter of repurposing an available drug and using it to supplement conventional
anti-seizure therapies.
Dr. William Matthew Tapped to Lead NINDS Office of Translational ResearchThursday, Jul 30, 2009
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health, has named
William D. Matthew, Ph.D., as director of its Office of Translational Research (OTR).
Spinal Cord Stimulation may be Alternative to Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s DiseaseWednesday, Jun 17, 2009
Electrical stimulation of the spinal cord relieves symptoms of Parkinson's disease in rodents, according to a new study published
in Science*. The procedure might provide a safe, effective alternative to deep brain stimulation (DBS), a relatively invasive
treatment for Parkinson's disease that is used when medication fails.
Tuberous Sclerosis Moves toward Drug Therapy, Offers Clues to Epilepsy and AutismFriday, Oct 24, 2008
Three recent studies show that the drug rapamycin reduces neurological symptoms in mouse models of tuberous sclerosis complex
(TSC), a rare genetic disorder associated with epilepsy and autism. Scientists say those results could pave the way for effective
treatment – and not just for TSC.
Four New Members Named to National Neurology Advisory CouncilThursday, Sep 18, 2008
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has appointed four new members to its major advisory panel,
the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council. The NINDS, a component of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), is the nation's primary supporter of basic, translational, and clinical research on the brain and nervous system. NINDS
Director Story Landis, Ph.D., formally introduced the new members, who will serve through July 2012, at the Council's September
18, meeting.
Early Treatment Prevents Full-Blown Epilepsy in AnimalsFriday, Mar 14, 2008
For the first time, researchers have shown that treating epilepsy-prone animals with an anticonvulsant drug prior to the development
of chronic epilepsy can significantly reduce the number of seizures the animals experience, even after the treatment stops.
The study provides hope that researchers may eventually be able to prevent epilepsy in people who are at risk of the disorder
because of genetic mutations or other factors.
Leptin Inhibits Seizures; Study May Lead to New Treatments for EpilepsyThursday, Mar 13, 2008
A new study shows that leptin, a hormone normally associated with eating and metabolism, can inhibit seizures in animal models
of epilepsy. The finding may lead to new ways of treating epilepsy. It also may help explain how the ketogenic diet, which
is sometimes used to treat epilepsy, reduces seizures.
NINDS Announces New Spanish-Language WebsiteFriday, Dec 7, 2007
Free, accurate information on many neurological disorders is now available on a new Spanish-language website from the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The website is available
at espanol.ninds.nih.gov.
The Structure of an Important Drug Target Made Crystal ClearWednesday, Dec 5, 2007
Scientists have produced detailed 3-dimensional images of a common type of neurotransmitter receptor, the class of proteins
on the receiving end of chemical signals in the nervous system. The work, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
is expected to speed the development of drugs for a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
A Rollercoaster of Seizure-Like Activity May Damage the Alzheimer's BrainTuesday, Nov 27, 2007
Although seizures are not a common symptom of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the brains of people with AD could be humming with
seizure-like activity, interrupted by quiet rebound periods that do more harm than good.
Scientists Zero in on the Cellular Machinery that Enables Neurons to FireWednesday, Nov 14, 2007
If you ever had a set of Micronauts – toy robots with removable body parts – you probably had fun swapping their heads, imagining
how it would affect their behavior. Scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health have been performing similar
experiments on ion channels – pores in our nerve cells – to sort out the channels' key functional parts.
Imaging Neural Progenitor Cells in the Living Human BrainThursday, Nov 8, 2007
For the first time, investigators have identified a way to detect neural progenitor cells (NPCs), which can develop into neurons
and other nervous system cells, in the living human brain using a type of imaging called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).
The finding, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), may lead to improved diagnosis and treatment for depression,
Parkinson's disease, brain tumors, and a host of other disorders.
NIH National Neurology Advisory Council Gains Five New MembersFriday, Oct 12, 2007
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) welcomes five new members to its National Advisory Neurological
Disorders and Stroke Council. The Council serves as the principal advisory body to the NINDS, a component of the National
Institutes of Health and the nation's primary supporter of basic, translational, and clinical research on the brain and nervous
system.
Better Prediction Could Mean Better Control over Epileptic SeizuresTuesday, Mar 13, 2007
Despite conventional wisdom that epileptic seizures are random and unforeseeable, a new study shows that people can sometimes
anticipate them, hinting at the possibility of treatments that could quell an oncoming seizure.
Six New Members Named to National Neurology Advisory CouncilThursday, Oct 5, 2006
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has appointed six new members to its major advisory panel,
the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council. The NINDS, a component of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), is the nation’s primary supporter of basic, translational, and clinical research on the brain and nervous system.
NINDS Director Story Landis, Ph.D., formally introduced the new members, who will serve through July 2010, at the Council’s
September 14, 2006 meeting.
Javits Neuroscience Award Presented to Six Leading ScientistsWednesday, Jul 12, 2006
Six outstanding scientists who target neurological disorders at the cellular and molecular level were recently awarded the
prestigious Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences. The award provides for up to seven years of research funding
from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the nation’s leading agency for research on the
brain and nervous system and a component of the National Institutes of Health.
Study Implicates Potassium Channel Mutations in Neurodegeneration and Mental RetardationSunday, Feb 26, 2006
For the first time, researchers have linked mutations in a gene that regulates how potassium enters cells to a neurodegenerative
disease and to another disorder that causes mental retardation and coordination problems. The findings may lead to new ways
of treating a broad range of disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The study was funded in part by the
National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Study Finds Biochemical Defect in Juvenile Batten DiseaseWednesday, Jan 25, 2006
For the first time, scientists studying a fatal childhood neurodegenerative disorder, juvenile Batten disease, have identified
a defect in transport of the amino acid arginine in cells from affected children. The finding helps researchers understand
how the disease develops and may lead to new ways of treating it.
Epilepsy Can Be Triggered by Support Cells in the BrainThursday, Dec 15, 2005
For decades, researchers have tried to understand what triggers clusters of neurons to begin signaling excessively in epilepsy.
A new study shows that, in many cases, the answer resides in star-shaped support cells called astrocytes. The finding may
lead to new ways of treating epilepsy.
NINDS Announces New Javits Neuroscience Investigator AwardeesWednesday, May 4, 2005
Four prominent investigators were recently awarded the prestigious Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences, which
provides for up to seven years of research funding from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
What's Old is New Again - Antibiotic Protects Nerves By Removing Excess GlutamateMonday, Feb 7, 2005
A new study shows that a common antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections increases survival rates and delays nerve damage
in a mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The antibiotic works by activating or "turning on" the gene encoding
the glutamate transporter in neurons. This finding may lead to new drug treatments for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Gene for Rapid-Onset Dystonia Parkinsonism FoundThursday, Sep 23, 2004
Investigators funded in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have identified the gene
responsible for a rare form of dystonia known as rapid-onset dystonia parkinsonism (RDP).
Fact Sheet
Electrical Activity Alters Neurotransmitter Production in Frogs During DevelopmentFact Sheet
Tuesday, Aug 10, 2004
Scientists studying how the nervous system develops in frogs have found that altering the pattern of electrical signaling
in individual neurons changes the kinds of neurotransmitters they produce. While preliminary, the finding may lead to a new
understanding of how epilepsy and other neurological disorders develop and may even point to new ways of preventing or treating
these disorders.
Valproic Acid Shows Promise for Treating Spinal Muscular AtrophyWednesday, Feb 18, 2004
One of the first studies of valproic acid as a potential therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) shows that, in cultured
cells, the drug increases production of a protein that is reduced or missing in people with the disorder. While preliminary,
the study suggests that valproic acid or related drugs may be able to halt or even reverse the course of this devastating
childhood disease.
Fact Sheet
Promising Gene Therapy Tool May Suppress Epileptic SeizuresFact Sheet
Friday, Nov 14, 2003
A new gene therapy approach may one day stop seizures in people with common forms of epilepsy, according to a new study.
Researchers found that the new therapy suppressed focal seizures and seizure induced brain damage in rats.
Fact Sheet
Drug-Resistant Seizures Often Take Years to DevelopFact Sheet
Monday, Jan 27, 2003
While about 80 percent of people with epilepsy gain significant relief from drug therapy, the remaining 20 percent have seizures
that cannot be controlled by medications. Many of these people have a particular type of epilepsy called partial epilepsy.
A new study shows that people with partial epilepsy often have seizures controlled by medications for years before their seizures
become drug-resistant. The study also found that periods when seizures stopped for a year or more are common in these patients.
Fact Sheet
Researchers Successfully Deliver Drugs to the Primate BrainstemFact Sheet
Thursday, Oct 3, 2002
Current drug treatments of brainstem tumors are largely unsuccessful, because the drugs often fail to bypass the blood vessel
lining protecting the brainstem. Now, an NIH study shows that researchers can effectively deliver drugs to the primate brainstem
and monitor how the drugs spread inside the brain. The study provides hope for improving treatment of brainstem tumors and
other brain diseases.
Fact Sheet
Genetic Analysis of Childhood Brain Tumors Improves Diagnosis And Predicts SurvivalFact Sheet
Friday, Mar 8, 2002
Doctors who treat brain tumors and other kinds of cancer have long struggled to understand why some patients respond well
to therapy while others do not. In recent years, it has become clear that the answer lies at least partially in the genes.
Two studies now show that identifying the "genetic fingerprints" of some childhood brain tumors can greatly improve diagnosis
and predict patients' long-term survival. The findings help researchers understand how the tumors develop and may lead to
improved ways of treating them.
Fact Sheet
Gene Linked to Epilepsy With Auditory FeaturesFact Sheet
Thursday, Feb 7, 2002
A new gene involved in a rare form of epilepsy, in which affected individuals may hear sounds that aren't there, has been
identified by researchers supported by the NINDS.
Fact Sheet
Manipulating A Single Gene Dramatically Improves Regeneration in Adult Neurons: Finding May Lead to New Approaches for Treating
Brain and Spinal Cord DamageFact Sheet
Sunday, Jul 1, 2001
Increasing the expression of a single gene that is important during development dramatically improves the ability of adult
neurons to regenerate, a new study shows. The finding suggests that intrinsic properties of neurons play an important role
in controlling neuronal regeneration and may lead to new approaches for treating damage from stroke, spinal cord injury, and
other neurological conditions.
Safe and Effective Treatment for Acute Repetitive Seizures Available for At-Home UseWednesday, Jun 24, 1998
A unique gel formulation of diazepam safely reduces the severity of acute repetitive seizure episodes in both children and
adults, according to a study published in the June 25, 1998, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine and funded by the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Topiramate Available For Treatment Of EpilepsyMonday, Dec 30, 1996
A new drug for epilepsy, topiramate, with particular effectiveness for partial seizures, developed in part by scientists at
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), is now available to the public. The drug received approval
by the Food and Drug Administration on December 24.
Common Drug Linked to Lower Incidence of Cerebral PalsyWednesday, Feb 8, 1995
A new study shows that very low birthweight babies have a lower incidence of cerebral palsy (CP) when their mothers are treated
with magnesium sulfate soon before giving birth. The findings come from a study sponsored by the California Birth Defects
Monitoring Program (CBDMP) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and reported in the February
1995 issue of Pediatrics.
Oral Diazepam Reduces the Risk of Chilhood Febrile Seizure RecurrenceWednesday, Jul 7, 1993
Oral diazepam (Valium), given at times of fever, safely reduces the risk of febrile seizure recurrence in infants and children,
according to a study published in the July 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine* and funded by the National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Febrile seizures are fever-triggered convulsions that occur in approximately
3-4 percent of all children in the United States. Although they are generally harmless, their occurrence can cause alarm in
the family.
Brain Damage Disrupts Emotions and MoodTuesday, May 5, 1992
Feeling tense and anxious? Unfettered and carefree? It may be all in your head or — rather — your cerebral hemispheres. According
to scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), new research suggests that the brain's
hemispheres generate our emotional outlook. Scientists also say their findings, announced today at the annual meeting of the
American Academy of Neurology in San Diego, show that brain damage can change judgment of emotion and distort normal mood.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
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