Africa Science News Service | Reporting about African Science with an African eye – Epilepsy is a challenge to families, govt

Diana was diagnosed with epilepsy sometimes before this morning and has since become a Youth Coordinator with Kenya Association for the Welfare of people with Epilepsy. “If I sing to my parents’ tune, I will be a vagabond in the future,” she is saying simply.

“If I don’t, I’ll be a resourceful person to other people with a similar condition like mine.”

To talk about epilepsy leave alone to confess that you have a child living with epilepsy, was unheard of in those days.

You could be abandoned by the society as the community associated epilepsy with witchcraft, madness, disgrace to the family and you could be put in isolation in far places where by people could not see you in the name of saving the name of the family from indignity.

via Africa Science News Service | Reporting about African Science with an African eye – Epilepsy is a challenge to families, govt.

Depression Twice As Likely In Seizure Sufferers

 

Previous research indicates that, on average, individuals with epilepsy suffer from a greater number of chronic conditions, have worse self-reported health and experience increased pain. They are also more likely to have a lower quality-of-life, related to both health and other factors. Individuals with epilepsy have also been found to exhibit higher levels of recent psychological distress, a greater likelihood for a variety of psychiatric conditions and a higher prevalence of suicidal thoughts. Sufferers also typically have lower incomes, less education and are less likely to have full- or part-time employment.

 

 

“Individuals with epilepsy are vulnerable to depression , yet we have identified an important gap in mental health service provision,” says Esme Fuller-Thomson of the University of Toronto , co-author of the study. “Routine screening and targeted interventions for depression are needed to help serve those with epilepsy.

 

 

via Depression Twice As Likely In Seizure Sufferers.

Seizure Discovery | Ivanhoe’s Medical Breakthroughs

 

Seizure Discovery

 

 

(Ivanhoe Newswire) — A major discovery about the cause of pediatric epileptic seizures could pave the way for future treatments.

 

 

“Parents of children with epilepsy, especially the most severe types of epilepsy, are desperate for a deeper understanding of the causes of the problems and for the development of new treatments,” Joseph Gleeson, M.D., director of the Neurogenetics Laboratory at the University of California – San Diego School of Medicine, was quoted as saying.

 

 

Dr. Gleeson and his team may now have answers for these parents. From their recent study, researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine discovered the convulsive seizures suffered by children with severe pediatric epilepsy are generated in the hippocampus – not on the brain’s surface as expected.

 

 

“Researchers had thought that the cause of the seizures in this disease must be the brain surface, since this is the part that looks the most abnormal on brain MRI scans,” Dr. Gleeson said. “However, we found that the epilepsy focus was actually deeper in the brain, within the hippocampus, the main memory-forming site.”

 

 

Researchers say they will explore their findings further to find potential mechanisms and to test new treatments.

 

 

via Seizure Discovery | Ivanhoe’s Medical Breakthroughs.

People with seizure disorders need support | hometownlife.com | the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers, Mirror Newspapers and Hometown Weeklies

 

Seizure disorders have plagued humans as far back as time knows. For those who have had a seizure, the dread of a recurrence can be very hard to live with.

 

 

Seizures can strike without warning and their onset, duration and termination are not under voluntary control.

 

 

Seizures have many known causes but also can occur when no cause can be found. To witness a full blown seizure can be quite a disturbing sight. Each seizure can cause new brain damage.

http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090315/LIFE/903150345