]> Subscribe to the latest newsworthy research about Epilepsy as soon as it is published in <em>Neurology</em>^&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. <em>Neurology</em> is the world's most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal. http://www.aan.com/rss/?event=feed&channel=7 en ababb@aan.com kwiersma@aan.com Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:28:34 GMT Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:34:24 GMT AXON RSS Extension http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss ababb@aan.com Channel Feedback http://www.aan.com/rss/?event=feed&channel=7 http://www.aan.com/rss/images/channels/channel_7_s.jpg 144 144 Subscribe to the latest newsworthy research about Epilepsy as soon as it is published in <em>Neurology</em>^&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. <em>Neurology</em> is the world's most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal. false 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_46.pdf EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 1:30 P.M. CT/2:30 P.M. ET, THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008 Media Contacts: Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com AAN Press Room 179B (April 12-18): (312) 791-7053 Breastfeeding While Taking Seizure Medicine Does Not Appear to Harm Children CHICAGO - A first of its kind study finds breastfeeding while taking certain seizure medications does not appear to harm a child's cognitive development. The research will be presented at the upcoming American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12-19, 2008. "Our early findings show breastfeeding during anti-epilepsy drug treatment doesn't appear to have a negative impact on a child's cognitive abilities," said study author Kimford Meador, MD, with the University of Florida at Gainesville, and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "However, more research is needed to confirm our findings and women should use caution due to the limitations of our study." Researchers tested the cognitive development of 187 two-year-old children whose mothers were taking the epilepsy drugs lamotrigine, carbamazepine, phenytoin, or valproate. Forty-one percent of the children were breastfed. The study found breastfed children had higher cognitive test scores than those children who were not breastfed, and this trend was consistent for each anti-epilepsy drug. The children who were breastfed received an average test score of 98.1 compared to a score of 89.5 for the children not breastfed. However, the results were not significant after adjusting for the mother's IQ. Thus, it appears that the higher scores in children who were breastfed is due to the fact that their mothers had higher IQs. Meador says animal studies have shown that some anti-epilepsy drugs, but not all, can cause cells to die in immature brains, but this effect can be blocked by the protective effects of beta estradiol, which is the mother's sex hormone. "Since the potential protective effects of beta estradiol in utero are absent after birth, concern was raised that breastfeeding by women taking anti-epilepsy drugs may increase the risk of anti-epilepsy drug-induced cell death and result in reduced cognitive outcomes in children." Meador says additional research on the effects of breastfeeding should be extended to other anti-epilepsy drugs and mothers who use more than one anti-epilepsy medication. The study is part of an ongoing study of the long-term effects of in utero anti-epilepsy drug exposure on children's cognition. Women with epilepsy who were taking anti-epilepsy drugs were enrolled in the study during pregnancy. Ultimately, the study will examine the effects of in utero anti-epilepsy drug exposure on children at six years old. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_46.pdf ababb@aan.com Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:30:00 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_78.pdf EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, MONDAY, JULY 21, 2008 Media Contacts: Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com, (651) 695-2738 Angela Babb, ababb@aan.com, (651) 695-2789 Epilepsy Drug May Increase Risk of Birth Defects ST. PAUL, Minn. - Taking the epilepsy drug topiramate alone or along with other epilepsy drugs during pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a study published in the July 22, 2008, issue of Neurology&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Research has shown that many epilepsy drugs increase the risk of birth defects, but little research has been done on topiramate. Studies have shown that topiramate increases the risk of birth defects in animals. Maintaining effective epilepsy treatment during pregnancy is crucial because seizures may cause harm to the fetus. For the study, researchers examined women who became pregnant while taking topiramate either on its own or along with other epilepsy drugs. Of 178 babies born, 16 had major birth defects. Three of these were in infants whose mothers were taking only topiramate, and 13 were in those whose mothers were taking topiramate and other epilepsy drugs. Four of the babies had cleft palates or cleft lips, a rate 11 times higher than that expected if these women were not taking epilepsy drugs. Four male babies had genital birth defects, with two of those classified as major defects, which is 14 times higher than the normal rate for this defect. "More research needs to be done to confirm these results, especially since it was a small study," said John Craig, MRCP, of the Royal Group of Hospitals in Belfast, Northern Ireland. "But these results should also get the attention of women with migraine and their doctors, since topiramate is also used for preventing migraine, which is an even more common condition that also occurs frequently in women of childbearing age." Craig said the risk of birth defects may be different for women taking the drug for migraine, but that the pregnancies of women exposed to topiramate should be monitored. This study found that more birth defects occurred in women taking topiramate along with the drug valproate, or valproic acid, than in women taking topiramate and another epilepsy drug. Research has shown that valproate is associated with a high risk of birth defects. The study was supported by a research grant from the Epilepsy Research Foundation and by unrestricted educational grants from GlaxoSmithKline, sanofi-aventis, UCB Inc., Janssen-Cilag, Pfizer, and Eisai. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_78.pdf ababb@aan.com Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:00:00 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_90.pdf EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2008 Media Contacts: Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com, (651) 695-2738 Angela Babb, ababb@aan.com, (651) 695-2789 Epilepsy Linked to Higher Risk of Drowning ST. PAUL, Minn. - People with epilepsy appear to have a much higher risk of drowning compared to people without epilepsy, according to a study published in the August 19, 2008, issue of Neurology&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Previous studies have shown a higher risk most likely due to seizures but this study is one of the first to show exactly how high the risk may be. For the study, researchers compiled information from 50 studies of people with epilepsy worldwide that followed the participants for a total of more than 200,000 patient-years. They also looked at population data and national registries to determine how many regular drowning deaths occur. A total of 88 people with epilepsy died by drowning. By comparison, 4.7 deaths by drowning would have been expected if the rates in the general population applied. The study found that people with epilepsy had a 15 to 19 times higher risk of drowning compared with people in the general population. That risk was highest for people with epilepsy and a learning disability, those in institutional care and those who have had brain surgery but who were not all free of seizures. "It is important that people with epilepsy and their caregivers take steps to prevent these tragedies," said study author Ley Sander, MD, FRCP, PhD, of the University College London Institute of Neurology, Queen Square in London, UK, and member of the American Academy of Neurology. "People with active epilepsy should shower instead of bathe, take medication regularly to control seizures and should have direct supervision when swimming," Sander said. The study also found that the increased risk of drowning may not be as great in children compared with adults. Sander explains it is most likely a result of more direct supervision. The Global Burden of Disease 2000 Project estimates that nearly 450,000 people drowned in 2000 worldwide, putting the normal drowning risk at about 7 deaths per 100,000 people. The study was supported by the UK National Society for Epilepsy and by the UCLH/UCL Comprehensive Biomedical Research, which received funding from the NHS National Institute for Health Research. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as epilepsy, dystonia, migraine, Huntington's disease, and dementia. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_90.pdf ababb@aan.com Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:00:00 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_94.pdf Media Contacts: Angela Babb, ababb@aan.com, (651) 695-2789 Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com, (651) 695-2738 AAN Launches New Book Series to Help Patients and Caregivers ST. PAUL, Minn. - Following up on the success of Neurology Now&reg;, the free and award-winning patient and caregiver magazine of the American Academy of Neurology, the Academy has announced plans to launch a new series of books for neurology patients and caregivers in 2009 to be called Neurology Now Books&trade;. The Academy has expanded its publishing division, AAN Press, to publish this new book series. Titles planned to publish in the Neurology Now Books&trade; series include coping with multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, and taste and smell disorders in the first year. A fourth publication is also planned for late next year. "With one in six people now affected by a neurologic disorder, there's tremendous demand for the latest information on how to best meet the needs of this fast-growing population of patients and caregivers. Neurology Now Books&trade; will fulfill this growing demand," said Lisa M. Shulman, MD, Editor of Neurology Now Books&trade;, and a neurologist with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "With the experience the Academy has had in publishing Neurology Now&reg; magazine, it's sought to advance patient care and has developed an appreciation for the needs and concerns of neurology patients and caregivers. Neurology Now Books&trade; will continue to further our mission of improving patient care and public understanding of disorders of the brain and nervous system," said Shulman. Each issue of Neurology Now&reg; magazine reaches nearly one million readers. It is the only consumer magazine in the country devoted to the management of the range of neurologic disorders. The magazine offers information on treatment and cutting-edge research for such neurologic disorders as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, migraine, Parkinson's disease and more. For information on receiving a free subscription to Neurology Now&reg; magazine, visit www.neurologynow.com. AAN Press through Demos Medical Publishing published an earlier series of books for neurology patients and caregivers that will continue to be available for purchase via the AAN Store&trade;. Other AAN Press publications are Neurology&reg;, the most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal, Neurology Now&reg; magazine, and Neurology Today&reg;. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_94.pdf ababb@aan.com Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:04:51 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1824.pdf A new study shows that women who take the epilepsy drug valproate while pregnant may significantly increase their child's risk of developing autism. The preliminary research is published in the December 2, 2008, print issue of Neurology&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The ongoing study involves 632 children, nearly half of whom were exposed to epilepsy drugs during gestation. Of the children whose mothers took epilepsy drugs while pregnant, 64 were exposed to valproate, 44 to lamotrigine, 76 to carbamazepine and 65 to other epilepsy drugs. Of the 632 children in the study, nine have been diagnosed with autism and one has shown symptoms of the disorder. The children were tested at one, three and six years old. Two-thirds of the children were six years old by the end of the study. The study found seven of the children with autism had mothers who took an epilepsy drug while pregnant, four of those children were exposed to valproate while a fifth child's mother took a combination of valproate and lamotrigine. The children whose mothers were given valproate during pregnancy were seven times more likely to develop autism compared to children whose mothers did not take an epilepsy drug while pregnant. This risk was not seen with the other epilepsy drugs. None of the children in the study had any known family history of autism. "The potential risk for autism in this study was substantial for children whose mothers took valproate while pregnant, but more research needs to be done since these are early findings," says study author Gus Baker, PhD, FBPsS, of the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom."However, women who take valproate while pregnant should be informed of the possible risks of autism and are encouraged to discuss them with their doctor. Those who are taking valproate should not stop their treatment without speaking to their doctor first." Other studies have shown that valproate is more likely to cause birth defects than other epilepsy drugs. Symptoms of autism include difficulty in language development, a lack of attention, social problems and the inability to understand other people's feelings. The study was conducted by the Liverpool and Manchester Neurodevelopment Group, a multidisciplinary group consisting of psychologists, geneticists, neurologists, midwives and support staff. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, narcolepsy, and stroke. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com/go/pressroom. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1824.pdf ababb@aan.com Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1900.pdf New guidelines developed by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society show it's relatively safe for women with epilepsy to become pregnant, but caution must be taken, including avoiding one particular epilepsy drug that can cause birth defects. The guidelines are published in the April 27, 2009, online issue of Neurology&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, and will be presented April 27, 2009, at the Academy's Annual Meeting in Seattle. The guidelines recommend women with epilepsy avoid taking the drug valproate during pregnancy. "Good evidence shows that valproate is linked to an increased risk for fetal malformations and decreased thinking skills in children, whether used by itself or with other medications," said lead guideline author Cynthia Harden, MD, Director of the Epilepsy Division at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine and member of the American Academy of Neurology. The guidelines also suggest, if possible, women with epilepsy should not take more than one epilepsy drug at a time during pregnancy since taking more than one seizure drug has also been found to increase the risk of birth defects compared to taking only one medication. "Overall, what we found should be very reassuring to every woman with epilepsy planning to become pregnant," said Harden. "These guidelines show that women with epilepsy are not at a substantially increased risk of having a Cesarean section, late pregnancy bleeding, or premature contractions or premature labor and delivery. Also, if a woman is seizure free nine months before she becomes pregnant, it's likely that she will not have any seizures during the pregnancy." However, Harden says pregnant women with epilepsy should consider having their blood tested regularly. "Levels of seizure medications in the blood tend to drop during pregnancy, so checking these levels and adjusting the medication doses should help to keep the levels in the effective range and the pregnant woman seizure free." The guidelines also state that physicians of women with epilepsy should consider avoiding the epilepsy drugs phenytoin and phenobarbital in order to prevent the possibility of decreased thinking skills in children. In addition, the guidelines recommend women with epilepsy be warned that smoking may increase substantially the risk of premature contractions and premature labor and delivery during pregnancy. It is estimated that about half a million women with epilepsy in the United States are of childbearing age and that three to five out of every 1,000 births are to women with epilepsy. The majority of people with epilepsy have well-controlled seizures, are otherwise healthy, and expect to participate fully in life experiences, including pregnancy. To develop the guidelines, the authors reviewed all scientific studies available on the topic. The guidelines were developed in collaboration with the American Epilepsy Society and will also appear be published in the April 27 online issue of the journal Epilepsia. The development of the guidelines was supported in part by the Milken Family Foundation. "For too long, women living with epilepsy have feared the added risk of premature birth and other consequences of both their epilepsy and their medications," said Howard R. Soule, PhD, chief science officer for the Milken Family Foundation. "The results of this project will help relieve the worries of these women and their families." The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system, such as neuropathy, epilepsy, dystonia, migraine, Huntington's disease and dementia. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1900.pdf ababb@aan.com Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:00:00 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1941.pdf Children who have normal IQs before they experience a first seizure may also have problems with language, memory, learning and other cognitive skills, according to a study published in the August 12, 2009, online issue of Neurology&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "Our study highlights the importance of testing children with epilepsy for possible cognitive problems soon after they are diagnosed with epilepsy in order to avoid these issues affecting them later in life, especially if they have additional risk factors," said study author Philip Fastenau, PhD, Professor of Neurology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the Neurological Institute of University Hospitals in Cleveland, OH. The research was done in collaboration with Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The study involved 282 school-aged children with an IQ of at least 70 who experienced their first seizure within the previous three months. They were then compared to 147 of their siblings without seizures. Scientists looked at whether the children with seizures also had other risk factors associated with cognitive problems, including multiple seizures, use of epilepsy drugs, or signs of epilepsy on early tests of brain waves. Of the children who experienced one seizure, 27 percent showed cognitive difficulties at or near the time of the first seizure and 40 percent of children who had additional risk factors showed signs of cognitive problems. A child with all four risk factors was three times more likely to experience cognitive problems by the first clinic visit compared to children who were seizure-free. The study also showed that children who took epilepsy drugs had difficulties in processing speed, language, verbal memory and learning compared to children who did not take any epilepsy drugs. "Children who take these medications should be closely monitored for cognitive problems resulting from the epilepsy drug," said Fastenau. "Surprisingly, our study also found academic achievement in these children was unaffected around the time of the first visit about three months after the first seizure in this study, suggesting there is a window early in epilepsy for intervention to avoid hurting a child's performance at school." "Because this study found cognitive problems at the time of the first seizure or soon after, it provides strong evidence that these cognitive problems can be attributed to underlying brain abnormalities that lead to the epilepsy, rather than from extended exposure to epilepsy drugs or the effect of numerous seizures," said David Loring, PhD, of Emory University in Atlanta, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study. -The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or www.thebrainmatters.org. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1941.pdf ababb@aan.com Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:00:00 GMT