PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy of levetiracetam in cases of refractory primary generalised epilepsy. METHODS Three patients with refractory primary generalised epilepsy were treated with levetiracetam monotherapy; one with absence seizures, myoclonic jerks and generalised tonic-clonic (GTC) seizures one with myoclonic jerks and GTC seizures, and one with only GTC seizures. All three patient...

Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) was first delivered to patients over 25 years ago with the first patient being implanted in 1988. European Community approval was granted in 1994 and USA (FDA) commercial approval in 19971. VNS currently has a licence in Europe and the UK for the adjunctive treatment of epilepsy refractory to antiepileptic medication. The UK NICE Guidelines for Epilepsy (2012) sugg...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the comorbidity of depressive disorders in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). METHOD We evaluated 25 consecutive patients with refractory TLE (16 women and 9 men), using semi-structured psychiatric interviews, according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), and the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS Seventeen of 25 patients (68%)...

Despite the new advancements in antiepileptic drug development, thousands of people with epilepsy will remain intractable to medication. For a considerable proportion of these people, epilepsy surgery is a consideration for better control of their seizures. Resective surgery is now standard practice for patients with medication-refractory epilepsy. Temporal lobectomy continues to be the most co...

Neurostimulation procedures like vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and deep brain stimulation have been used to treat refractory epilepsy and other neurological disorders. While holding promise, they are invasive interventions with serious complications and adverse effects. Moreover, their efficacies are modest with less seizure free. Acupuncture is a simple, safe, and effective traditional healing...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of Levetiracetam (LEV) add-on therapy for child refractory epilepsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Levetiracetam add-on therapy was tested on 65 children who suffered refractory epilepsy, and clinical seizures. Electroencephalogram (EGG) changes and adverse reactions were observed in these children respectively in three, six and twelve months a...

Abstract Background Epilepsy has significant effects on the behavior of most people who suffer it. In some cases, seizure activity itself is manifested as a brief change in that might appear unusual to casual observer. Evidence also suggests epilepsy can affect when seizures are not occurring. Descriptions inter-ictal with have long and controversial history. The study aims assess personality d...

The mechanisms underlying the refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) are not well understood. Several explanations for refractory TLE are (1) an overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) encoded by multiple drug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene and other efflux transporters such as multidrug resistance protein (MRP) in the cerebrovascular endothelium in or around the region of the epileptic focus may le...

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a type of endogenous non-coding RNA that can regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, invasion, apoptosis and several other biological activities by specially inducing gene silencing, and thereby is related to development and disease in life course. In recent years, researchers have found that miRNAs are closely related with refractory epilepsy. MiRNAs can intervene in ...