Epilepsy & behavior : E&B
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Feb 2017
ReviewCan natural ways to stimulate the vagus nerve improve seizure control?
The vagus nerve (VN) is the longest cranial nerve, innervating the neck, thorax and abdomen, with afferent fibers transmitting a range of interoceptive stimuli and efferent fibres to somatic structures and autonomic preganglions. Over the last few decades, electrical stimulation of the VN using implanted devices (VNS) has been developed leading to its approval for the treatment of epilepsy and depression. More recently, non-invasive devices to stimulation the VN have been developed. ⋯ Though the natural ways to stimulate the VN have been shown to increase HRV, they have not been shown to reduce seizures. The exception is listening to Mozart's music, which has been shown to increase parasympathetic tone and decrease seizures. Clearly much more work is required to examine the effect of the various ways to increase HRV on seizure occurrence.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Feb 2017
The influence of patient, caregiver, and family factors on symptoms of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents with intractable epilepsy.
The objective was to evaluate the association of caregiver and family factors with symptoms of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents with medically refractory localization-related epilepsy (i.e., failed at least two epilepsy medications). ⋯ These findings highlight the central role of caregiver psychopathology, which is amenable to intervention, on children and adolescents' symptoms of anxiety and depression. Addressing caregiver psychopathology may improve children and adolescents' quality of life even if seizure control is not attained.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Dec 2016
Comparative Study Observational StudySeizure control and cognitive improvement via immunotherapy in late onset epilepsy patients with paraneoplastic versus GAD65 autoantibody-associated limbic encephalitis.
To determine the efficacy of immunotherapy in limbic encephalitis (LE) associated epilepsies with autoantibodies against intracellular antigens in the forms of paraneoplastic autoantibodies versus glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD)-autoantibodies. ⋯ Our data provide evidence of a beneficial effect of immunotherapy added to antiepileptic drugs on seizure frequency and cognition only in the paraneoplastic-antibodies+ subgroup of LE presenting autoantibodies against intracellular antigens.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Nov 2016
Review Meta AnalysisIs intravenous lorazepam really more effective and safe than intravenous diazepam as first-line treatment for convulsive status epilepticus? A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Some guidelines or expert consensus indicate that intravenous (IV) lorazepam (LZP) is preferable to IV diazepam (DZP) for initial treatment of convulsive status epilepticus (SE). We aimed to critically assess all the available data on efficacy and tolerability of IV LZP compared with IV DZP as first-line treatment of convulsive SE. ⋯ Despite its favorable pharmacokinetic profile, a systematic appraisal of the literature does not provide evidence to strongly support the preferential use of IV LZP as first-line treatment of convulsive SE over IV DZP.