Sharp Waves: ILAE's epilepsy podcast

Anti-seizure medications are not a cure, and about 30% of people with epilepsy don't respond to them. How are new medications discovered, and what's on the horizon? Dr. Patricia Grandizoli Saletti interviews Dr. Karen Wilcox about her work with the Anticonvulsive Drug Development Program.
Only about two-thirds of people with epilepsy have their seizures controlled by medication. The Anticonvulsive Drug Development (ADD) Program at the University of Utah is the contract site for the Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program (ETSP), a program run by the US National Institutes of Health that is dedicated to preclinical testing of potential new medications to stop seizures - and perhaps one day, to stop epilepsy from developing.

Dr. Karen Wilcox directs the ADD Program, which over the years has evaluated the majority of the anti-seizure medications on the market today.
The program uses a battery of assays and experiments to blind-test compounds, which are provided by pharmaceutical companies, academic labs, or medicinal chemists. The data is returned to the source lab, which can use it to pursue clinical testing if warranted.
Identifying promising new anti-seizure medications relies on model systems that approximate epilepsy in human beings. Dr. Wilcox and colleagues' work on better pre-clinical models can help to identify more effective anti-seizure medications. For example, finding compounds effective against drug-resistant epilepsy depends on models that simulate drug-resistant epilepsy. Dr. Wilcox's program uses such a model and is working on developing others. And in a 2020 Epilepsia paper, her group described results from a study of subchronic administration of anti-seizure compounds in a rodent model of spontaneous seizures.
This episode was reported by Dr. Patricia Grandizoli Saletti, and edited and produced by Nancy Volkers.
Contact ILAE with feedback or episode ideas at [email protected]
Sharp Waves content is meant for informational purposes only and not as medical or clinical advice. 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.

Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: [email protected].
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, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Most people with epilepsy have difficulty always taking their medications as prescribed. How can clinicians and patients talk about the issue and find solutions? Sharp Waves spoke with Dr. Avani Modi and Dr. Desiree Williford, authors of a recent study on pediatric adherence in epilepsy.
During the episode, Dr. Modi mentions online resources that can help individuals and families find ways to take medication as directed. These are available in English and Spanish on the Epilepsy Foundation website.
The STAR trial (Supporting Treatment Adherence Regimens) was a randomized controlled trial. Results can be found at this link.

Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: [email protected].
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, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

What is autoimmune-associated epilepsy, and how is it different from acute seizures with an autoimmune cause? How can clinicians best diagnose and treat these conditions? Sharp Waves reporter Dr. Maryam Nabavi-Nouri spoke with Dr. Claude Steriade.
Claude Steriade, MD, CM is originally from Quebec City, Canada. She completed medical school at McGill University in Montreal, followed by an adult neurology residency at the University of Toronto. Dr. Steriade then completed a two-year epilepsy fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic before joining the epilepsy center at New York University.

Relevant articles:
Acute symptomatic seizures secondary to autoimmune encephalitis and autoimmune-associated epilepsy: Conceptual definitions

Discerning the Role of Autoimmunity and Autoantibodies in Epilepsy: A Review

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This episode was reported by Dr. Maryam Nabavi-Nouri, and edited and produced by Nancy Volkers.

Sharp Waves content is meant for informational purposes only and not as medical or clinical advice.
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.
Contact us with feedback or episode ideas at [email protected]
ILAE website | Facebook | Instagram
Twitter feeds: English | French | Japanese | Portuguese | Spanish | ILAE-YES

Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: [email protected].
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, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Dr. Alina Ivaniuk talks with Dr. Caroline Neuray about her career path from medical school to industry CEO. (It's not as direct as it sounds!) They discuss the power of peer mentoring, ways to improve medical education, finding the courage to accept change, and what's up with those comments from reviewer #2, anyway.

Dr. Neuray is Chief Executive Officer of Epilog, which offers advanced EEG analysis to support clinical care, clinical trials, and research. She received her MD from the University of Munich and completed neurology training at Paracelsus Medical University in Salzburg, with a clinical fellowship in epilepsy at University College London. Dr. Neuray also completed an MBA short course at the London School of Economics. She is a founding member of ILAE's Young Epilepsy Section (YES) and a former YES regional representative (Europe). She serves on several ILAE committees.

Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: [email protected].
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, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Can women with epilepsy get pregnant, give birth to healthy babies, and breastfeed? What are the myths and misconceptions around epilepsy during pregnancy, and what do physicians and women need to know? Dr. Anca Arbune interviews Dr. Page Pennell about the latest research and knowledge.

Women with epilepsy were once counseled to avoid pregnancy, but epilepsy is no longer a barrier to giving birth. The vast majority of women will have good outcomes.

Fertility issues are not a given in women with epilepsy, though they may arise in men or women taking enzyme-inducing anti-seizure medications.

A long history of taking anti-seizure medication does not affect a woman’s fertility or other outcomes. Only the type of medication taken during pregnancy can exert an influence. Significant reductions in the use of valproate in women of childbearing age mean that most women are taking anti-seizure medications that have lower risks to their babies.

A planned pregnancy with consistent seizure control can lead to safe and healthy outcomes. Certain anti-seizure medications require monitoring during pregnancy, due to changes in physiology and hormone levels.

Breastfeeding is safe and studies show beneficial effects to the infant, similar to those in infants in the general population.

Research discussed during the episode:

MONEAD (Maternal Outcomes and Neurodevelopmental Effects of Anti-epileptic Drugs) Study

Two-Year-Old Cognitive Outcomes in Children of Pregnant Women With Epilepsy in the Maternal Outcomes and Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs Study (2021) JAMA Neurology (KJ Meador, MJ Cohen, DW Loring, et al.)

Fetal antiepileptic drug exposure and cognitive outcomes at age 6 years (NEAD study): a prospective observational study (2013) The Lancet Neurology (KJ Meador, GA Baker, N Browning, et al.)

Antiseizure Medication Concentrations During Pregnancy: Results From the Maternal Outcomes and Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs (MONEAD) Study (2022) JAMA Neurology (PB Pennell, A Karanam, KJ Meador, et al.)

Effects of breastfeeding in children of women taking antiepileptic drugs (2010) Neurology (KJ Meador, GA Baker, N Browning, et al.)

Antiepileptic Drug Exposure in Infants of Breastfeeding Mothers With Epilepsy (2019) JAMA Neurology (AK Birnbaum, KJ Meador, A Karanam, et al.)
This episode was reported by Dr. Anca Arbune, and edited and produced by Nancy Volkers.

Contact us with feedback or episode ideas at [email protected]

ILAE is a

Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: [email protected].
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, Instagram, and LinkedIn.