Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

BMC Med 2022 May 16;20(1):183. Epub 2022 May 16.

Public Health Section, Division of Resilience and Solutions, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Geneva, Switzerland.

Background: This study examines mental, neurological, and substance use (MNS) service usage within refugee camp primary health care facilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by analyzing surveillance data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Health Information System (HIS). Such information is crucial for efforts to strengthen MNS services in primary health care settings for refugees in LMICs.

Methods: Data on 744,036 MNS visits were collected from 175 refugee camps across 24 countries between 2009 and 2018. Read More

Epilepsia 2022 May 15. Epub 2022 May 15.

Department of Nuclear Medicine, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Timone University Hospital, Marseille, France.

The relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and focal epilepsy is poorly understood. It has been hypothesized that there is a complex and reciprocal potential reinforcement of the symptoms of each condition. In this study, we investigated whether there were PTSD-specific brain changes in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2022 May 5;131(Pt A):108712. Epub 2022 May 5.

VA RR&D Center for Neurorestoration & Neurotechnology, VA Providence Healthcare System, Providence, RI, USA; Dept of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.

Purpose: In patients with functional seizures (FS), delay in diagnosis (DD) may negatively affect outcomes. Altered brain responses to emotional stimuli have been shown in adults with FS. We hypothesized that DD would be associated with differential fMRI activation in emotion processing circuits. Read More

Epilepsy Res 2022 Apr 27;183:106935. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E. Thomas Road, Ambulatory Building, 3rd Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a known complication of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Limited physiologic biomarkers have been investigated in relation to pediatric PTE. Our aim is to identify clinical, physiologic and neuroimaging biomarkers predictive of pediatric PTE arising during the acute care phase after injury. Read More

Pract Neurol 2022 Jun 3;22(3):201-208. Epub 2022 May 3.

Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Acute-onset amnesia is a dramatic neurological presentation that can cause considerable concern to both patient and clinician. The patient typically presents with an inability not only to retain new memories but also to access previously acquired memories, suggesting disturbance of hippocampal function. Transient global amnesia (TGA) is the most common cause of acute-onset amnesia, and is characterised by a profound anterograde and retrograde amnesia that typically lasts for up to 24 hours. Read More

Epilepsia 2022 Apr 22. Epub 2022 Apr 22.

A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.

Objective: This study was undertaken to identify prognostic biomarkers for posttraumatic epileptogenesis derived from parameters related to the hippocampal position and orientation.

Methods: Data were derived from two preclinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) follow-up studies: EPITARGET (156 rats) and Epilepsy Bioinformatics Study for Antiepileptogenic Therapy (EpiBioS4Rx; University of Eastern Finland cohort, 43 rats). Epileptogenesis was induced with lateral fluid percussion-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) in adult male Sprague Dawley rats. Read More

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2022 Jun 31;217:107221. Epub 2022 Mar 31.

University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI USA; University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Department of Neurological Surgery, Sacramento, CA, USA. Electronic address:

Introduction: Patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) experience significant morbidity and early mortality, secondary to delayed diagnosis. Better characterizing risk factors and exploring how PNES differentially affects sex and racial strata may facilitate earlier diagnosis.

Methods: From a Hawai'i neuroscience institution, 101 PNES patients were investigated in relation to sociodemographic and medical comorbidities. Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2022 May 14;130:108678. Epub 2022 Apr 14.

Child Neurology Section, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States. Electronic address:

DEPDC5-related epilepsy, caused by pathogenic germline variants(with or without additional somatic variants in the brain) of DEPDC5 (Dishevelled, Egl-10 and Pleckstrin domain-containing protein 5) gene, is a newly discovered predominantly focal epilepsy linked to enhanced mTORC1 pathway. DEPDC5-related epilepsy includes several familial epilepsy syndromes, including familial focal epilepsy with variable foci (FFEVF) and rare sporadic nonlesional focal epilepsy. DEPDC5 has been identified as one of the more common epilepsy genes linked to infantile spasms and sudden unexpected death (SUDEP). Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2022 Mar 31;23(7). Epub 2022 Mar 31.

Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany.

Posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a major public health concern and strongly contributes to human epilepsy cases worldwide. However, an effective treatment and prevention remains a matter of intense research. The present study provides new insights into the gamma aminobutyric acid A (GABA)-stabilizing protein ubiquilin-1 (ubqln1) and its regulation in mouse models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and in vitro epilepsy. Read More

Neurology 2022 04 6;98(17):e1761-e1770. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

From the Department of Neurology (J.J.G., R.D.-A.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; University of Utah (E.K., S.P., D.F.T., A.R., M.J.P.), Salt Lake City, UT; University of Pittsburgh (A.C.V.C.), PA; University of Miami (M.R.L.), FL; and Yale University (H.A.), New Haven, CT.

Background And Objectives: Epilepsy is defined by the occurrence of multiple unprovoked seizures, but quality of life (QOL) in people with epilepsy is determined by multiple factors, in which psychiatric comorbid conditions play a pivotal role. Therefore, understanding the interplay between comorbid conditions and QOL across epilepsy phenotypes is an important step toward improved outcomes. Here, we report the impact of QOL across distinct epilepsy phenotypes in a cohort of post-9/11 veterans with high rates of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Read More

Epilepsia 2022 Apr 2. Epub 2022 Apr 2.

Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Objective: We examined whether posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) is associated with measurable perturbations in gut microbiome.

Methods: Adult Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to lateral fluid percussion injury (LFPI). PTE was examined 7 months after LFPI, during 4-week continuous video-electroencephalographic monitoring. Read More

NeuroRehabilitation 2022 ;50(3):321-330

Nova Southeastern College of Optometry, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA.

Background: Tinted lenses have been used to manage visual discomfort and photosensitivity in patients with migraines, benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) and epilepsy.

Objectives: The purpose of this review is to examine the existing clinical research regarding the use of colored filters among patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries.

Methods: A review of English articles from PubMed, Embase from embase. Read More

Biomedicines 2022 Mar 19;10(3). Epub 2022 Mar 19.

Epilepsy Unit, Regional University Hospital of Málaga, 29010 Málaga, Spain.

Immunologic and neuroinflammatory pathways have been found to play a major role in the pathogenesis of many neurological disorders such as epilepsy, proposing the use of novel therapeutic strategies. In the era of personalized medicine and in the face of the exhaustion of anti-seizure therapeutic resources, it is worth looking at the current or future possibilities that neuroimmunomodulator or anti-inflammatory therapy can offer us in the management of patients with epilepsy. For this reason, we performed a narrative review on the recent advances on the basic epileptogenic mechanisms related to the activation of immunity or neuroinflammation with special attention to current and future opportunities for novel treatments in epilepsy. Read More

Epilepsia 2022 Mar 19. Epub 2022 Mar 19.

Mixed Unit of Research 1253, iBrain, National Institute of Health and Medical Research, University of Tours, Tours, France.

Objective: Current concepts highlight the neurological and psychological heterogeneity of functional/dissociative seizures (FDS). However, it remains uncertain whether it is possible to distinguish between a limited number of subtypes of FDS disorders. We aimed to identify profiles of distinct FDS subtypes by cluster analysis of a multidimensional dataset without any a priori hypothesis. Read More

Brain Connect 2022 May 5. Epub 2022 May 5.

Neuroscience Program, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, New York, USA.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) damages white matter tracts, disrupting brain network structure and communication. There exists a wide heterogeneity in the pattern of structural damage associated with injury, as well as a large heterogeneity in behavioral outcomes. However, little is known about the relationship between changes in network connectivity and clinical outcomes. Read More

Pharmacol Rev 2022 Apr;74(2):387-438

Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas

Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is one of the most devastating long-term, network consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI). There is currently no approved treatment that can prevent onset of spontaneous seizures associated with brain injury, and many cases of PTE are refractory to antiseizure medications. Post-traumatic epileptogenesis is an enduring process by which a normal brain exhibits hypersynchronous excitability after a head injury incident. Read More

Front Neurol 2022 24;13:827571. Epub 2022 Feb 24.

Neuropharmacology Research Strength, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia.

Background: Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a devastating neurological outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI), which may negatively impact the quality of life of patients with TBI, and may impose a huge socioeconomic burden. This burden may be due to long-term functional outcomes associated with PTE, particularly cognitive dysfunction. To date, the relationship between TBI and PTE remains unclear, with little known about how the effect of their link on cognitive function as well. Read More

Front Cell Neurosci 2022 18;16:821885. Epub 2022 Feb 18.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, United States.

Mild TBI (mTBI), which affects 75% of TBI survivors or more than 50 million people worldwide each year, can lead to consequences including sleep disturbances, cognitive impairment, mood swings, and post-traumatic epilepsy in a subset of patients. To interrupt the progression of these comorbidities, identifying early pathological events is key. Recent studies have shown that microbleeds, caused by mechanical impact, persist for months after mTBI and are correlated to worse mTBI outcomes. Read More

Epilepsy Res 2022 03 22;181:106892. Epub 2022 Feb 22.

Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV) Unidad Coapa, Ciudad de México, México. Electronic address:

Frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) is the second most frequent type of epilepsy and the surgical outcome depends on the etiology. For instance, patients with posttraumatic FLE (PTE) have a worse surgical outcome compared to patients with FLE related to a tumoral lesion (TL). The present study focuses to determine if the FLE etiology is associated with the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression, a condition associated with drug resistance. Read More

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2022 03 24;43(3):347-353. Epub 2022 Feb 24.

Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (R.M.L., A.A.J.)

Background And Purpose: Although posttraumatic epilepsy is a common complication of traumatic brain injury, the relationship between these conditions is unclear and early posttraumatic epilepsy detection and prevention remain major unmet clinical challenges. This study aimed to identify imaging biomarkers that predict posttraumatic epilepsy among survivors of traumatic brain injury on the basis of an MR imaging data set.

Materials And Methods: We performed tensor-based morphometry to analyze brain-shape changes associated with traumatic brain injury and to derive imaging features for statistical group comparison. Read More

JAMA Neurol 2022 Apr;79(4):334-341

Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Importance: Early posttraumatic seizures (EPS) that may occur following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are associated with poorer outcomes and development of posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE).

Objective: To evaluate risk factors for EPS, associated morbidity and mortality, and contribution to PTE.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Data were collected from an Australian registry-based cohort study of adults (age ≥18 years) with moderate to severe TBI from January 2005 to December 2019, with 2-year follow-up. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022 02;119(7)

Department of Neurology & Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5122

Dravet syndrome (DS) is one of the most severe childhood epilepsies, characterized by intractable seizures and comorbidities including cognitive and social dysfunction and high premature mortality. DS is mainly caused by loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding Na1.1 that is predominantly expressed in inhibitory parvalbumin-containing (PV) interneurons. Read More

World J Pediatr 2022 03 12;18(3):214-221. Epub 2022 Feb 12.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 45 Nanlishi Road, Beijing, 100045, China.

Background: Early post-traumatic seizures (EPTS) refer to epileptic seizures occurring within one week after brain injury. This study aimed to define the risk factors of EPTS and the protective factors that could prevent its occurrence.

Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study in the PICU, Beijing Children's Hospital. Read More

Rev Prat 2021 Nov;71(9):1001-1006

Psychiatre, spécialiste des troubles du sommeil et de la vigilance, vice-présidente du réseau Morphée, Paris, France.

Practice guide for The management of nightmare Disorders Nightmares are a common parasomnia that occurs mainly During rem sleep (paradoxical sleep) and at all ages. Recurrent nightmares, also known as nightmare disorder, Are considered a clinical entity and cause significant Suffering. Other parasomnias presenting dysphoric dreams Or fragments of dreams are to be distinguished from Nightmares and their management is different: they are Mainly night terror, hallucinations related to sleep and Rem sleep behavior disorder. Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2022 03 3;128:108582. Epub 2022 Feb 3.

Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States; Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.

Purpose: To characterize the relationship between functional seizures (FSe), cerebrovascular disease (CVD), and functional stroke.

Method: A retrospective case-control study of 189 patients at a single large tertiary medical center. We performed a manual chart review of medical records of patients with FSe or epileptic seizures (ES), who also had ICD code evidence of CVD. Read More

Neurochem Res 2022 Feb 1. Epub 2022 Feb 1.

Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100070, China.

Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a serious complication that can occur following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Sustained secondary changes after TBI promote the process of PTE. Here, we aim to evaluate changes in behavior, electrocorticogram, and histomorphology in rats following chronic TBI models. Read More

Front Neurol 2021 11;12:799579. Epub 2022 Jan 11.

Coma Science Group, Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA) Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.

Epileptic seizures/post-traumatic epilepsy (ES/PTE) are frequent in persons with brain injuries, particularly for patients with more severe injuries including ones that result in disorders of consciousness (DoC). Surprisingly, there are currently no best practice guidelines for assessment or management of ES in persons with DoC. This study aimed to identify clinician attitudes toward epilepsy prophylaxis, diagnosis and treatment in patients with DoC as well as current practice in regards to the use of amantadine in these individuals. Read More

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2022 02 7;213:107086. Epub 2021 Dec 7.

Department of Neurology, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran. Electronic address:

Background: Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) is a major challenge in patients with epilepsy. The majority of previous studies evaluating the risk factors of DRE have been conducted in children. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of DRE and its associated factors. Read More

Children (Basel) 2021 Dec 22;9(1). Epub 2021 Dec 22.

Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Weill Institute for Neuroscience, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.

Little is known about parent and family well-being after acute neonatal seizures. In thus study, we aimed to characterize parent mental health and family coping over the first two years after their child's neonatal seizures. Parents of 303 children with acute neonatal seizures from nine pediatric hospitals completed surveys at discharge and 12-, 18- and 24-months corrected age. Read More

Epilepsia 2022 Apr 17;63(4):992-1002. Epub 2022 Jan 17.

Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA.

Objectives: There is no effective therapy to prevent the development of posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE). Recently, we reported that administration of the antiseizure medication (ASM) levetiracetam (LEV) shortly after trauma prevented the development of epileptiform activity in two experimental models of neurotrauma. However, the time window for effective intervention with LEV may be too narrow for most clinical settings. Read More