Research summary
Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by recurring, unpredictable seizures. It affects some 70 million people worldwide. The first line of treatment is antiseizure drug therapy, but a third of patients are resistant to these treatments. Unfortunately, uncontrolled epilepsy can lead to cognitive impairment, psychosocial difficulties, psychiatric comorbidities, and increased mortality.
Dr. Dang Nguyen, Canada Research Chair in Epilepsy and Functional Anatomy of the Human Brain, is trying to improve how patients with drug-resistant epilepsy are evaluated and treated. He and his research team are focusing on insular epilepsy characterization, seizure detection and prediction, and the study of epileptiform activities (abnormal electrical discharges or patterns in the brain) in critically ill patients. Their overall goal is to improve outcomes for people with epilepsy who do not respond to currently available treatments.