Epilepsy Sparks Insights

Epilepsy care has come a long way - from safer pregnancies and advances in genetics to better understanding the risks of epilepsy, including SUDEP. But why are some risks still not openly discussed, and could we one day prevent epilepsy rather than simply control seizures? Hear from leading epilepsy researcher Prof. Torbjörn Tomson on this week's podcast. This episode is sponsored by the Drug-Resi...

Good epilepsy care isn't about pills - it's about prevention, care, prescribing the right treatment, at the right time, for the right person. It’s about understanding each individual, their specific needs, and looking beyond seizure control. Hear more from Epileptologist Prof. Bernhard Steinhoff on this week’s podcast. This episode is sponsored by the Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Course organised by th...

What’s it like to have/develop an epilepsy when you’re 65+ years? Epileptologist Dr. Manuel Toledo shares how commonly this age group is affected, the differences and challenges in having an epilepsy at an older age, what the priorities are, how medication effectiveness can vary, and so much more! Tune in to learn more. Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 01:32 Meet Manuel Toledo 03:14 Epilepsy...

How can we improve access to epilepsy diagnoses around the world? Neurologist Dr. Victor Patterson shares with us how telemedicine and simple apps, AI, and machine learning can bring epilepsy expertise to people wherever they live - and make a huge difference to millions of lives! Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 01:19 Meet Victor Patterson 02:00 What is telemedicine and how did it start? 05:...

Why don’t we all have the same access to and quality of epilepsy treatment and care? We all deserve the best, no matter what makes us different. Today we hear from neurologist & epileptologist Dr. Jonathan Williams about these needs, health equity, and how we can satisfy them - through working together and addressing stigma. Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 00:45 Meet Jonathan Wlliams 01:...

Does epilepsy impact cognition? Could it be seizures, medications - or something that happened right at the beginning - even before seizures started? Hear all about it from epileptologist Dr. Jacob Pellinen who speaks of exciting answers - and questions - from the Human Epilepsy Project. Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 01:07 Meet Jacob Pellinen 01:17 Cognitive testing: The Human Epilepsy Pro...

What are some newer types of epilepsy surgery? Today we hear about the new version called Robotic Thermocoagulative Hemispherotomy - for which you need a plaster! Also, what defines epilepsy surgery success? It isn't always just seizure reduction or freedom. Hear  all about it from epilepsy surgeon Prof. Sarat Chandra. Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 01:19 Different epilepsy surgery techniqu...

Lots of people are very scared of epilepsy surgery. What are the risks of having it? What are the risks of not having it? Potential benefits? The processes beforehand? Hear all about it from epilepsy surgeon Prof. Sarat Chandra!. Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 01:02 Meet Sarat Chandra 01:55 Reasons to get epilepsy surgery 05:03 Different types of epilepsy surgery 08:19 Fear, full investigat...

With neurologist Dr. Manjari Tripathi we hear about the complex world of epilepsy management, focusing on how treatments go beyond medications - including lifestyle changes and innovative surgical options! Join Manjari as she demystifies epilepsy treatments, preventative measures, quality of life, and looking at epilepsy surgery. Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 01:03 Meet Manjari Tripathi 01...

Why do around 30% of people with epilepsy still have uncontrolled seizures despite decades of new antiseizure medications? Graeme Sills, PhD, explains the leading theories behind drug resistance - and how a better understanding of the brain could transform future epilepsy treatments. Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 00:45 Meet Graeme Sills 01:29 Introduction to pharmacology and epilepsy 02:17...

Could a brain implant do more than reduce seizures? Dr. Vikram Rao explains how responsive neurostimulation (RNS) is changing the treatment of epilepsy, why researchers think it may work differently than first imagined, and how the technology is helping us learn more about the brain than ever before. Could it even help treat conditions beyond epilepsy in the future? Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer &...

Most people think every cell in their body contains exactly the same DNA. It turns out that's not always true. Epilepsy genetics researcher Dr. Stéphanie Baulac explains mosaicism, how tiny genetic mutations can exist in just a small number of brain cells, and why they can cause a type of epilepsy called focal cortical dysplasia (FCD). These discoveries are transforming our understanding of epilep...

Could inflammation and the blood-brain barrier help explain why some seizures remain uncontrolled? Prof. Colin Doherty discusses emerging research into immune activity in epilepsy, how steroids may temporarily improve seizure control, and why future immunotherapies could help some people whose seizures do not respond to current treatments. Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 00:31 Precision ther...

Could the immune system play a bigger role in epilepsy than many of us realise? Prof. Colin Doherty explains how autoimmune epilepsies challenged the traditional view of epilepsy as purely an electrical disorder. He also discusses antibody-negative autoimmune epilepsy, early immunotherapy studies, and why some people with highly refractory epilepsy may respond to steroid treatment. Chapters 📖 00:...

Could medical ketogenic therapy improve more than seizures?! Like anxiety and depression? Dr. Manny Bagary shares how clinciains assess whether ketogenic therapy is working, including its potential effects on anxiety, mood, cognition and quality of life. He also talks about common misconceptions, cholesterol worries, potential pregnancies, and why so many adults with epilepsy still struggle to acc...

Medical Ketogenic Therapy can reduce seizures in some people - but how does it actually work?! Dr. Manny Bagary explains the nitty gritty of ketones, interactions, how they might affect brain excitability, what’s going on with neurotransmitters, mitochondria, inflammation, and even the gut microbiome! He also shares how ketogenic therapy might improve cognition, when a person should be offered it,...

Medical ketogenic therapy has more than 100 years of evidence behind it - so why is it still often treated as a last resort?! Ketogenic dietitian Neha Kaul explains how success can go beyond potential seizure reduction, and how the diet may affect cognition, mood and overall quality of life. Neha also covers common misconceptions, safety concerns, and what it really takes to make the diet work in...

Signs of focal epilepsy before the seizures start: hear all about it from neurologist and epileptologist Dr. Jacob Pellinen, who shares with us his research and results proving that people can experience things like depression or learning difficulties at school or work before seizure onset. Chapters 📖 00:00 Trailer & intro 00:44 Meet Jacob 02:34 Epilepsy is more than seizures 02:54 Later epil...

Memory problems are one of the most common and frustrating symptoms experienced by people with an epilepsy - but what actually causes them? And how can we "treat" them? Dr. Laurie Miller explains how different types of memory work, why memory difficulties are often linked to the underlying brain pathology rather than just seizures, and what evidence-based strategies and techniquest may help improv...

What does epilepsy care look like when a clinician has to see so many people each day?! Prof. Mamta Singh shares what high-volume epilepsy care really looks like in New Delhi - from specialist epilepsy clinics to outreach services across rural regions. We discuss why seizure freedom doesn't automatically equate to good quality of life, how experienced clinicians detect mental health and functional...

Can exercise improve memory in people with an epilepsy? Dr. Jane Allendorfer explores how physical activity may drive measurable changes in verbal learning, memory function, and hippocampal connectivity! Building on a 6-week pilot study showing improved memory performance, we hear about her newly completed randomised clinical trial investigating exercise for memory rehabilitation in epilepsy, aimi...

Can’t find where seizures start in drug-resistant epilepsy? Christos Papadelis, Ph. D, biomedical engineer and researcher, explains how ultra-high-resolution brain mapping and AI are improving seizure localisation and surgical decision-making in children. This episode explores how combining advanced neurophysiology with AI can identify seizure origins and networks, predict surgical outcomes, and m...

Is seizure freedom enough in epilepsy care? Dr. Lucretia Long, epilepsy specialist nurse practitioner, shares why care must go beyond seizure control - with psychiatric symptoms, medication side effects, and cognitive challenges shaping quality of life just as much as seizures. This episode explores how to individualise care, why patient priorities must lead decisions, and how small, realistic cha...

Delays in epilepsy surgery referral are not just about access and are not limited to one region. Epileptologist Asst. Prof. Juan Perez discusses paediatric epilepsy surgery across Latin America, where services exist but remain underutilised, and how misconceptions, training gaps, and system-level barriers continue to prevent eligible children from being referred for surgical evaluation, as well as...

What happens when epilepsy medication doesn’t work? Prof. John Duncan explains how treatment decisions evolve beyond medication, from resective surgery to neuromodulation, and how patients and clinicians weigh these options together. The conversation covers real-world outcomes, risks, and the balance between seizure control, cognitive function, and quality of life. This episode is sponsored by EAS...