Analysis of practical judgment in older adults with epilepsy: An exploratory, multicenter cohort study.

Despite the high prevalence of cognitive deficits in older people with epilepsy (PWE), their ability to judge and make decisions in daily life remains unexplored. In 61 older PWE (55-90 years) from the multicenter BRain Aging and Cognition in Epilepsy (BrACE) study, we examined everyday judgment, as measured by the Test of Practical Judgment (TOP-J: 9 questions, score range = 0-27; higher score = better judgment) and evaluated its association with clinical and demographic characteristics, global cognition, neuropsychological performance, subjective cognition, and quality of life (QOL). In our participants (mean age ± standard deviation [SD] = 66.

HLA typing in anti-GAD antibody associated epilepsy.

Objective: Anti-GAD65 antibodies have been identified in people with epilepsy for many years, but their pathophysiological relevance is still debated. Susceptibility to autoimmune disease has been associated with Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) subtypes. Therefore, this study aimed to determine if there are common HLA types in anti-GAD65 antibody associated epilepsy cases compared to epilepsy controls.

Uncovering language deficits in focal epilepsy: Beyond the limits of noun naming and verbal fluency.

Background: A range of language impairments have been reported in people with epilepsy both pre- and post-surgically, however language is not routinely comprehensively assessed in epilepsy clinics. When language is assessed, this is typically as part of a broader neuropsychological battery of assessment, often limited to tests of noun naming and/or verbal fluency, despite evidence to suggest these tests are not sufficiently sensitive to detect the often-subtle deficits present in chronic focal epilepsy. Many areas of language function, including the production of connected speech, have also not been adequately explored in this population, and research relating to subjective report of language and communication difficulties is limited.

Automated and Interpretable Detection of Hippocampal Sclerosis in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: AID-HS.

Objective: Hippocampal sclerosis (HS), the most common pathology associated with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), is not always visible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), causing surgical delays and reduced postsurgical seizure-freedom. We developed an open-source software to characterize and localize HS to aid the presurgical evaluation of children and adults with suspected TLE.

Methods: We included a multicenter cohort of 365 participants (154 HS; 90 disease controls; 121 healthy controls).

Differences in Brain Volume in Military Service Members and Veterans After Blast-Related Mild TBI: A LIMBIC-CENC Study.

Importance: Blast-related mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), the "signature injury" of post-9/11 conflicts, are associated with clinically relevant, long-term cognitive, psychological, and behavioral dysfunction and disability; however, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear.

Objective: To investigate associations between a history of remote blast-related mild TBI and regional brain volume in a sample of US veterans and active duty service members.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Prospective cohort study of US veterans and active duty service members from the Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium-Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (LIMBIC-CENC), which enrolled more than 1500 participants at 5 sites used in this analysis between 2014 and 2023.

Association between seizure reduction during ketogenic diet treatment of epilepsy and changes in circulatory metabolites and gut microbiota composition.

Background: The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high fat, sufficient protein, and low carbohydrate dietary therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy. The underlying mechanisms of action of the KD remain unclear. In mice, the microbiota is necessary for the anti-seizure effect and specific microbes influence circulatory levels of metabolites that are linked to seizure reduction.

A digital dashboard for reporting mental, neurological and substance use disorders in Nairobi, Kenya: Implementing an open source data technology for improving data capture.

The availability of quality and timely data for routine monitoring of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders is a challenge, particularly in Africa. We assessed the feasibility of using an open-source data science technology (R Shiny) to improve health data reporting in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Based on a previously used manual tool, in June 2022, we developed a digital online data capture and reporting tool using the open-source Kobo toolbox.

Clinical trials for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: Challenges and priorities.

Objective: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe, childhood-onset epilepsy that is typically refractory to treatment. We surveyed the current landscape of LGS treatment, aiming to identify challenges to the development of efficacious therapies, and to articulate corresponding priorities toward clinical trials that improve outcomes.

Methods: The LGS Special Interest Group of the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium integrated evidence from the literature and expert opinion, into a narrative review.

Safety, tolerability, and efficacy outcomes of the Investigation of Levetiracetam in Alzheimer's disease (ILiAD) study: a pilot, double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial.

Objective: To assess whether the antiseizure medication levetiracetam may improve cognition in individuals with Alzheimer's disease who have not previously experienced a seizure.

Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover pilot study in individuals with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Electroencephalography was performed at baseline and those with active epileptiform discharges were excluded.

A multicultural comparative study of self-stigma in epilepsy: Differences across four cultures.

Objective: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, exhibiting variance in prevalence and treatment availability across diverse geopolitical contexts and cultural milieus. The stigma associated with epilepsy is a significant global issue affecting the quality of life (QOL) of people with epilepsy (PWE). This study aims to examine the relationship between self-stigma and depressive symptoms in PWE, with a particular emphasis on understanding the manifestations of these across different cultural contexts.