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The role of neuroscience in treating epilepsy – Prof. Mark Cunningham

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Mark Cunningham is the recently appointed Ellen Mayston Bates Professor of Neurophysiology of Epilepsy at Trinity College Dublin. In this piece, he explains the importance of neuroscience in treating epilepsy. ‘

Electricity is life but electricity is an invisible fist punching up your spine, knocking your brains right out of your skull.’

Dogs can detect seizures by smell according to study

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A group of scientific researchers from France claim they have proven that can are capable of using smell to detect epileptic seizures.

The team of researchers out of the University of Rennes are hoping that their results will lead to new methods of seizure detection.

These new methods may include dogs or even “electronic noses” which would be designed to identify the distinct scents given off during a seizure.

Using epilepsy drug valproate during pregnancy connected to ADHD

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A new study has suggested that when women use Valproate during pregnancy, the odds that her baby will develop ADHD are higher.

This report that was conducted in Denmark however cannot prove that valproate causes ADHD only that there is an association between the two.

However, this study found that fetal exposure to valproate was tied to 48% higher odds of a child developing ADHD, according to the research team which was led by Jakob Christensen at Aarhus University.

Counselling helps those with often misdiagnosed seizure disorder

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One out of every four patients that are admitted to hospitals to have their seizures evaluated do not have epilepsy. Oftentimes they will have PNES or psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. This is an extremely difficult to diagnose condition and can be quite debilitating for people living with it.

Trinity group describe the first model of mitochondrial epilepsy

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A Trinity College research group have made a revelation in epilepsy research by becoming the first group to describe a model of mitochondrial epilepsy. This raises the possibility of more effective therapies being developed in the future. The paper which outlines these findings was published in BRAIN, a peer reviewed journal of neurology.

The Links between Stress and Seizures

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Professor Stafford Lightman at the University of Bristol began investigating the links between stress and seizures in 2014. This research is vital as although the association between stress and seizures has been noted it is still not fully understood. Lightman’s team from University of Bristol and the University of Exeter placed their focus on the research of cortisol.  This is a hormone that is released by the body in response to stress.

Impact of Brexit on epilepsy medication supplies in Ireland

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Concerns have been raised in the media in recent weeks regarding possible interruptions to the supply of essential medications in Ireland that might occur in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Currently, about 60% of all medications used in Ireland are imported from or pass through Britain.