Epilepsy Research

Scope of Research: Basic and Clinical Research

Goals are to understand the structural, genetic, and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying epilepsy and to improve the treatment and quality of life of people with epilepsy. Key elements are the Strong Epilepsy Center and the Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory.

Clinical epilepsy research includes

• Trials of investigational drugs and devices
  On-Going Clinical Trials
• Bioequivalence of generic AEDs
• Genetic studies of brain malformations
• Cerebral Cavernous Malformations and epilepsy
• Central Neurophysiological characterization of seizures
• Interactions of sleep and epilepsy, and clinical therapeutics
• Investigation of the most effective treatment regimens following resolution of neonatal seizures.
• Investigation of seizures following cardiac surgery in neonates
• Investigation of novel implantable brain stimulator for seizure control
• Investigation of the behavioral and affective correlates of epilepsy
• Investigation of predictors of epilepsy surgery outcomes (i.e., cognitive, quality of life, economic).
• Investigating fMRI correlates of atypical speech representation

Basic research includes:

• Investigation into the regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis
• Collaborative research on mechanisms of excitotoxicity
• Collaborative research on glial mechanisms in epileptogenesis
• Collaborative research on computational modeling of cortical circuitry related to epilepsy