News

A recent study from the Netherlands has tested the effectiveness of Nightwatch, a new seizure detection device. This device is a bracelet which uses factors like heart rate and movement to recognise “major seizures”.

The researchers defined “major seizures” as seizures that were medically urgent. This included tonic-clonic, long generalised tonic and intense motor seizures. The “major seizure” definition also included clusters of myoclonic or tonic seizures.

GW Pharmaceuticals has announced positive top-line results of the second randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial of EPIDIOLEX® (cannabidiol or CBD) CV in the treatment of seizures associated with Dravet Syndrome. In this trial, EPIDIOLEX, when added to the patient’s current treatment, achieved the primary endpoint of reduction in convulsive seizures for both dose levels (10 mg/kg per day and 20 mg/kg per day) with high statistical significance compared to placebo.

FutureNeuro, a €13.6 million SFI Research Centre has been launched at RCSI, Dublin today. The Centre aims to translate breakthroughs in understanding of brain structure and function to transform the patient journey for people with neurological diseases.

A new research grant has been awarded to Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland under the 2017/2018 round of the Epilepsy Ireland Research Funding Scheme. This project will again open up new possibilities and most importantly has potential to deliver tangible benefits for patients with autoimmune epilepsy.

A new report by Trinity School of Nursing and Midwifery (Rising to the challenge: Epilepsy Specialist Nurses as leaders of service improvements and change, SENsE study) has again highlighted the importance of Epilepsy Specialist Nurses (ESNs) in five key areas of epilepsy care.

These include:

A new study on sodium valproate by two leading British academics reveals that patients should have been informed about the drug’s risks during pregnancy as far back as 1990.

Dr Carl Heneghan and Dr Jeffrey Aronson of the University Of Oxford have published a paper entitled “Sodium valproate: who knew what and when? Cumulative meta-analysis gives extra insights.”

The paper researches various sodium valproate studies in the UK and abroad from 1983 to 2014.

Ireland Rugby Coach Joe Schmidt made a surprise appearance along with his wife Kelly at the book launch of 'Beautiful Thoughts For Beautiful Minds' in St Patrick’s Cathedral yesterday evening. Also in attendance was Epilepsy Ireland Patron, Rick O’Shea.

Ireland Rugby Coach and Epilepsy Ireland supporter Joe Schmidt, has been awarded with an Honorary Fellowship of the RCPI Faculty of Paediatrics for his advocacy work for epilepsy services.

FutureNeuro, the SFI Research Centre for chronic and rare neurological conditions based at RCSI, has announced its partnership with Irish Cloud solution provider Ergo to enhance crucial eHealth infrastructure in Ireland and provide improved monitoring for people living with epilepsy.

A study published in the Irish Medical Journal has found that the prevalence of epilepsy in seven psychiatric inpatient units in Ireland was three times that of general population estimates. The prevalence of epilepsy in the general population is approximately 1% but the study has found that nine of a total of 267 patients (3.4%) in the participating psychiatric inpatient units had a diagnosis of epilepsy.