Epileptic convulsions are common, disrupt social life and may occasionally cause death. They can occur spontaneously in individuals whose brains appear to be physically normal. Apart from the fact that epilepsy may run in families, the processes leading to spontaneous convulsions are not known. We measure the brain's electrical rhythms (EEG) to find out which rhythms are disturbed in people with epilepsy and whether these rhythms disrupt the brain to cause attacks. In preliminary studies in pati ....Epileptic convulsions are common, disrupt social life and may occasionally cause death. They can occur spontaneously in individuals whose brains appear to be physically normal. Apart from the fact that epilepsy may run in families, the processes leading to spontaneous convulsions are not known. We measure the brain's electrical rhythms (EEG) to find out which rhythms are disturbed in people with epilepsy and whether these rhythms disrupt the brain to cause attacks. In preliminary studies in patients with generalised epilepsy, we have identified abnormally strong rhythms that are almost certainly related to epilepsy causation and our studies are in part aimed at making our findings into a diagnostic test. Our findings may even enable individuals with epilepsy to test themselves for their immediate risk of seizure. Both of these outcomes should enable improved treatment for epilepsy. In addition to benefits in epilepsy, there are potential benefits in the diagnosis of cerebral degenerative disorders if changes in the rhythms also occur in these conditions.Read moreRead less
Common Susceptibility Genes Underlying The Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies (IGE) - A Genome-wide Scanning Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$212,063.00
Summary
Epilepsy is the most common serious brain condition. Seizures affect about 10% of people at some time in their life and their consequences are an important public health problem. The most common group of inherited epilepsies account for about 30% of childhood epilepsy and 20% of adult epilepsy. This study will be the first in Australia and one of only a few worldwide to take a population-based approach to investigating the link between epilepsy and genetic inheritance.
What Drives Abnormal Cerebral Activity In Secondary Generalised Epilepsy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$565,809.00
Summary
Secondary Generalised epilepsy (2GE) is a severe, disabling epilepsy syndrome characterised by childhood onset frequent, treatment resistant seizures and developmental delay. Although one of the four major categories of epilepsy, it is poorly understood. This project uses combined EEG (brainwave testing) and MRI to reveal which brain areas are involved in the epileptic activity of 2GE. Advanced analysis techniques will explore which brain regions initiate 2GE epileptic activity.
Health-Related Quality Of Life In Intractable Paediatric Epilepsy: Using A New Measure To Improve Management
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$252,940.00
Summary
Until recently there was no adequate measure to assess the quality of life of children with epilepsy. Our Australian centre was the first to develop, validate and publish such an instrument; the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE). We now aim to collect more data using the QOLCE to gain further understanding of the effects of epilepsy and its treatment on the quality of life of children. We will determine if surgery in children stops seizures and improves quality of life. ....Until recently there was no adequate measure to assess the quality of life of children with epilepsy. Our Australian centre was the first to develop, validate and publish such an instrument; the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE). We now aim to collect more data using the QOLCE to gain further understanding of the effects of epilepsy and its treatment on the quality of life of children. We will determine if surgery in children stops seizures and improves quality of life. We also aim to find out if children with different types of epilepsies have unique quality of life issues. Finally, we aim to determine if the quality of a child's life depends on how well they are thinking and learning or how often they are having seizures. We will conduct this study in children with difficult epilepsy recruited from three major children's hospitals (Sydney Children's Hospital, the Children's Hospital, Westmead, Miami Children's Hospital, Florida USA) using a well designed methodology. Each child will have their particular type of epilepsy characterised using video and brain wave analysis. Each parent and older child will receive a quality of life package including the QOLCE to assess life function. In addition, all children will have an assessment of their thinking and learning by a child psychologist. At the completion of this project we will have established whether surgical treatment in children with epilepsy stops seizures and improves quality of life. This will allow clinicians and parents to better understand the effects of surgical treatment in this population. In addition, we will determine if problems in quality of life are associated with specific types of epilepsy. This information can be used to counsel families and tailor interventions and treatments. Finally, we will know whether a child's quality of life is determined by problems with thinking and learning and-or seizures.Read moreRead less
Altered HCN Channel Expression And Function In Acquired Epilepsy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$279,912.00
Summary
About 100 000 people currently suffer from epilepsy in Australia and of these about one third are poorly controlled with current anti-epileptic drugs. It is therefore important to continue to develop novel modes of treatment for this debilitating disease. This projects investigates an ion channel, known as the HCN channel, that is thought to be involved in making a brain epileptic. We explore how changes in this channel can make a brain more excitable. Also, our group is the first in the world t ....About 100 000 people currently suffer from epilepsy in Australia and of these about one third are poorly controlled with current anti-epileptic drugs. It is therefore important to continue to develop novel modes of treatment for this debilitating disease. This projects investigates an ion channel, known as the HCN channel, that is thought to be involved in making a brain epileptic. We explore how changes in this channel can make a brain more excitable. Also, our group is the first in the world to discover a mutation in this channel that is linked to epilepsy. We will also investigate how this mutation changes the channel properties to make a brain more likely to be epileptic. The HCN channel is an important target for developing anti-epileptic drugs. Understanding how changes in HCN channels make nerve cells and therefore nerve cell networks more excitable will help us develop better strategies for designing anti-epileptic drugs.Read moreRead less
Tuberous Sclerosis And Epilepsy: Using Resected Tissue To Understand Pathogenesis And Inform Management
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$339,261.00
Summary
Epilepsy is the commonest neurological disorder in childhood and seizures cannot be fully controlled by medications in 30%, often leading to developmental consequences. A major cause of drug-resistant epilepsy is a malformation of the brain’s surface. Surgery is sometimes used to remove these lesions to treat the epilepsy. We will study this tissue to understand its architecture, genetic basis and how it causes seizures. Our results will guide treatment including the best surgical approach.
Development Of Dynamin Inhibitors As Novel Therapies For Epilepsy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$903,376.00
Summary
Epilepsy affects 1% of people, but 30% do not respond to current anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Traditional drug discovery has not improved this situation. Our team discovered two exciting new targets for design of better AEDs. One of them blocks seizure in animals. Our aim is to determine how well they work in true animal models of epilepsy. If successful, this will accelerate development of new AEDs with less side-effects, benefiting large sectors of the Australian community.
Do Changes In HCN Channels Function Cause Epilepsy?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,172.00
Summary
About 100 000 people suffer from epilepsy in Australia with about one third poorly controlled with current anti-epileptic drugs. It is important to continue to develop novel modes of treatment for this debilitating disease. This project investigates an ion channel, known as HCN that is thought to be involved in making a brain epileptic. Understanding how changes in HCN channels make nerve cells and nerve networks more excitable will help us develop better strategies for designing drugs.