People with epilepsy don't always know when they have had a seizure - and yet establishing seizure frequency is a key part of epilepsy management. When Dr. Mark Cook's father was diagnosed with epilepsy, Dr. Cook realized that a system to identify and predict seizures could improve care and change people's lives. Dr. Parthvi Ravat talks with him about entrepreneurship in epilepsy and ways to advance the field through innovation. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Is surgery for pediatric epilepsy "worth it"? What factors determine quality of life in families with a child who has epilepsy? Dr. Kette Valente talks with Dr. Mary Lou Smith, whose work has implications for clinical treatment decisions, as well as expectations for the impact of treatments in children with epilepsy. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

EEG training varies within countries as well as between them; in many countries, there is no training available. Dr. Bruna Nucera talks with Dr. Sandor Beniczky about the present and future of clinical neurophysiology training, including a recent review that calls for harmonizing this type of training across the globe. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Seizures are common in neonates, but there is substantial management variability. The Neonatal Task Force of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) developed evidence-based recommendations about anti-seizure medication management in neonates in accordance with ILAE standards. Dr. Emma Carter speaks with first author Dr. Ronit Pressler about the guidelines and recommendations, and how they were established. Treatment of seizures in the neonate: Guidelines and consensus-based recommendations—Special report from the ILAE Task Force on Neonatal Seizures Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

In the 1990s, there was more funding for leprosy research in the United Kingdom than for epilepsy research. It was around that time that Dr. Edward (Ted) Reynolds, then president of ILAE, recognized that as a global problem, epilepsy required global solutions. His idea blossomed into the Global Campaign Against Epilepsy and established a partnership among ILAE, the World Health Organization, and the International Bureau for Epilepsy that continues to this day through the Intersectoral Global Action Plan for Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (IGAP). Dr. Reynolds is interviewed by Dr. Edward Bertram, ILAE Secretary General. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

For her podcast, Epilepsy Sparks Insights, Torie Robinson interviews epilepsy clinicians and scientists from around the world. Diagnosed with epilepsy at age 10, Torie is working to share knowledge with people with epilepsy, their families, and the public. Her episode topics range widely, from the biochemistry of epilepsy, to the importance of epilepsy nurses, to epilepsy as an autoimmune condition, to sexual issues. Listen to Epilepsy Sparks Insights wherever you get your podcasts, including YouTube. Finding Torie: Podcast Website YouTube Facebook Instagram: @TorieRobinson10 X (formerly Twitter): @TorieRobinson10 Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Luis Oliviera is parent to a son with an ultra-rare developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. He's also a researcher with the Michael J. Fox Foundation. He created an organization bringing parents and researchers together to better understand his son's disorder, which is part of a group of disorders caused by rare mutations in v-ATPase genes. Dr. Oliviera was interviewed by Dr. Alina Ivaniuk. Visit the v-ATPase Alliance website Contact the v-ATPase Alliance What is v-ATPase? Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Idea of Epilepsy, published in 2023, covers the history of epilepsy from multiple perspectives over the past 160 years. It ends with a tantalizing question: Does epilepsy actually exist? Dr. Phillip Pearl interviews author Dr. Simon Shorvon about why and how he wrote the book and what it has to offer clinicians, researchers, and non-scientists alike. More about The Idea of Epilepsy (from the publisher) Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Are people who have their first seizure during sleep at greater or lesser risk for future seizures, compared with people who have their first seizure when they're awake? Dr. Laurent Sheybani interviews Dr. Elaine Pang, author of a 2023 paper in Epilepsia that analyzed data from 1,312 adults visiting a first-seizure clinic. This episode also discusses a 2015 evidence-based guideline on managing a first unprovoked seizure in adults. The guideline was developed by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dr. Raphael Mechoulam was an organic chemist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the father of cannabis research. His team was the first to elucidate the structure of cannabidiol, or CBD. Dr. Mechoulam passed away in March 2023. This episode is a remastering of a conversation between Dr. Mechoulam and Dr. Meir Bialer, held in 2018 at the 13th European Congress on Epileptology. They spoke about CBD, THC, the endocannabinoid system, and the effects of cannabinoids in epilepsy and other conditions. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Nearly one-third of people with autism also have epilepsy. Researchers aren't sure why. For people on the spectrum, epilepsy can prompt unique challenges. Seizure symptoms can be misinterpreted as common autistic behaviors. Treatment may also be difficult due to the stress of a clinical setting, or the impact of anti-seizure medications on autism symptoms. Currently, some experts argue that there is a lack of research in assessing these care pathways. To learn more about diagnosis and treatment for people with autism and epilepsy, Joy Mazur spoke to Dr. Colin Reilly and Dr. Stéphane Auvin. Related studies/links: Epilepsy in patients with autism: links, risks and treatment challenges Besag FMC, et al., 2017 Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Children with Active Epilepsy: A Population-Based Study Reilly C, et al., 2014 Traditional and non-traditional treatments for autism spectrum disorder with seizures: an on-line survey Frye RE, et al., 2011 Epilepsy and autism - National Autistic Society Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dravet syndrome is a rare, severe epilepsy caused by changes in a gene called SCN1A. The changes cause the gene to stop functioning normally. But not everyone with this type of genetic change develops Dravet syndrome, and people with Dravet also have a wide range of clinical characteristics, which can't be fully explained by these changes. What else is going on? We spoke with Dr. Sanjay Sisodiya about a recent publication on genomic influences in Dravet syndrome. This episode is based on a recent publication in the journal Brain: Widespread genomic influences on phenotype in Dravet syndrome, a ‘monogenic’ condition Dravet syndrome is a rare severe epilepsy typically caused by loss-of-function SCN1A variants. Despite a recognizable core phenotype, Dravet syndrome also has phenotypic heterogeneity, which cannot be explained by clinical factors or SCN1A variants. This relatively small study (34 adults) found that additional genomic variation contributes to the diversity of phenotypes found in Dravet syndromes. The authors suggest that the SCN1A variant may need to act against a "broadly compromised genomic background" to generate the full Dravet syndrome phenotype, and that genomic resilience may contribute to a reduction in mortality risk among adults with Dravet syndrome. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Sara Staggs was a civil rights attorney and pregnant with her second child when her doctors told her to stop practicing law: her seizures had become too frequent. Staggs' 2023 novel, Uncontrollable, fictionalizes her experiences with epilepsy and provides insight into how epilepsy affects families, careers, and relationships. Staggs talked with Dr. Alina Ivaniuk about her epilepsy history, her surgical evaluation experiences, and how she pivoted from attorney to author. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

We'll frame today's talk around a paper recently published in the European Journal of Neurology: "The incidence and risk factors associated with seizures in cerebral amyloid angiopathy." With us today is the first author of the article, Dr. Brin Freund. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Diet treatments are often used with the aim of reducing seizure frequency and severity — but they may have other benefits as well. Findings from a recent study conducted in Norway suggest that dietary treatments may normalize emotional symptoms and that health-related quality of life (HRQOL) might be an indicator of successful diet treatment in the future. Joy Mazur spoke with Dr. Magnhild Kverneland about the study's results and its implications. Health-related quality of life in adults with drug-resistant focal epilepsy treated with modified Atkins diet in a randomized clinical trial was published in Epilepsia in March 2023. Related studies: Anxiety and depressive disorders in people with epilepsy: A meta-analysis Scott A, et al., 2017 Modified ketogenic diets in adults with refractory epilepsy: Efficacious improvements in seizure frequency, seizure severity, and quality of life Roehl K, et al., 2019 Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Some published data suggest that besides their effect on cholesterol, statins also may play a neuroprotective role in some neurological disorders, including epilepsy. Dr. Bruna Nucera interviews Dr. Anthony Marson and Dr. Emilio Russo about whether and how to test statins as potential anti-epileptogenic drugs. Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Functional seizures, also known as psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), resemble epileptic seizures. Unlike epilepsy, they are not prompted by any electrical activity in the brain. People with functional seizures live with stigma, stress, and emotional and financial burden — and so do their care partners. Joy Mazur spoke with Shannon Guinard, who cares for her husband, about the challenges and stigmas that face care partners of people with functional seizures. Resources and relevant articles: Information about psychogenic non epileptic seizures Depression and anxiety in caregivers of patients with functional seizures Tsamakis K, et al., 2023 Social aspects of life in patients with functional seizures: Closing the gap in the biopsychosocial formulation Asadi-Pooya AA, et al., 2021 Welfare consequences for people diagnosed with nonepileptic seizures: A matched nationwide study in Denmark Jennum, et al., 2019 Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Do seizures have daily, weekly, monthly, or other rhythms? In Part 2 of our two-part series on circadian rhythms, Dr. Laurent Sheybani talks with Dr. Maxime Baud about the latest research on circadian and multidien rhythms in epilepsy. Selected publications: Seizure cycles in focal epilepsy - MG Leguia, et al. (2021) JAMA Neurology Endogenous multidien rhythm of epilepsy in rats - MO Baud, et al. (2019) Experimental Neurology Lamellar bone is an incremental tissue reconciling enamel rhythms, body size, and organismal life history - TG Bromage, et al. (2009) Calcified Tissue International Multi-day rhythms modulate seizure risk in epilepsy - MO Baud, et al. (2018) Nature Communications Seizure forecasting: Bifurcations in the long and winding road - MO Baud, et al. (2022) Epilepsia Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The cyclic properties of seizures have been known for more than 100 years, but does everyone with epilepsy have a seizure pattern? What can be learned from seizure diaries, RNS data, and animal models, and how can this information guide further research and clinical care? Dr. Laurent Sheybani talks with Dr. Mark Quigg about circadian rhythms in epilepsy. Selected publications: Electrocorticographic events from long-term ambulatory brain recordings can potentially supplement seizure diaries - Quigg M, et al. (2020) Epilepsy Research Circadian and ultradian patterns of epileptiform discharges differ by seizure-onset location during long-term ambulatory intracranial monitoring - Spencer DC, et al. (2016) Epilepsia Interrater reliability in interpretation of electrocorticographic seizure detections of the responsive neurostimulator - Quigg M, et al. (2015) Epilepsia Variation of seizure frequency with ovulatory status of menstrual cycles - Herzog AG, et al. (2011) Epilepsia Is there a circadian variation of epileptiform abnormalities in idiopathic generalized epilepsy? Pavlova MK, et al. (2009) Epilepsy & Behavior Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) affects about one out of every 1.000 people with epilepsy. Despite its rarity, SUDEP is important to discuss, but some physicians are wary of having the conversations. Dr. Emma Carter spoke with Dr. Suvasini Sharma about SUDEP, why it's important to inform patients and families about it, and how to manage risk factors. The greatest risk factor for SUDEP is uncontrolled generalized tonic-clonic seizures (previously called grand mal seizures). Nocturnal seizures and certain comorbidities, such as developmental delay, also are risk factors. SUDEP information for families from the ILAE (ilae.org) Relevant articles: Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) - What pediatricians need to know Garg D, Sharma S, 2020 Effect of counselling of parents of children with epilepsy focusing on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy Kumari S, et al., 2022 Counseling about sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP): A global survey of neurologists' opinions Asadi-Pooya AA, et al., 2022 Support the show Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice. We welcome feedback and episode ideas at podcast@ilae.org. The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.