Breakthrough Research Being Presented at American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting

NEW ORLEANS, LA -- 12/03/2004 -- More than 3,000 physicians, researchers, nurses and other healthcare professionals from around the world have gathered in New Orleans starting today through Tuesday, December 7th, for the 58th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES).

Experts are sharing innovative news concerning recent advances in genetic research, diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, the most common brain disorder in the world, and a neurological ailment that affects 55 million people worldwide. For the next five days, New Orleans’ Ernest M. Morial Convention Center will be filled with more than 900 poster and platform presentations, lectures, workshops, satellite symposia, publications, scientific exhibitions and commercial exhibits.

“Decade of the Brain”: What have we learned?

This exciting meeting kicks off on Friday evening with the 2nd Annual Judith Hoyer Lecture in Epilepsy on the topic of Epilepsy After the “Decade of the Brain”: Misunderstandings, Challenges and Opportunities. In this talk, Thomas P. Sutula, M.D., Ph.D., from the Department of Neurology at the University of Wisconsin and 2002 president of the Society, will explore some of the reasons epilepsy remains unfamiliar to the public and has remained a challenging problem for healthcare professionals and scientists, despite recent noteworthy clinical progress.

Sex, Drugs and Epilepsy

On Friday evening, the Allied Health Symposium, Sex, Drugs and Epilepsy, will explore the effects of epilepsy medications on sexuality, focusing on potential mechanisms involved, assessment and management techniques, and communication between patients and healthcare provider. This symposium will be chaired by Christine O’Dell, RN, MSN, from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Barry E. Gidal, Pharm.D, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Epilepsy and Pregnancy

Several of this year’s programs will focus on issues surrounding women of child-bearing age. The programs will examine the effects epilepsy and its treatments can have on women’s reproductive health, including pregnancy and effects on the unborn child. On Saturday evening, a symposium entitled Pregnancy and Epilepsy, chaired by Mark S. Yerby, M.D., of North Pacific Epilepsy Research, will address the impact of maternal seizures on the fetus and the use of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Furthermore, there will be a press briefing on Tuesday morning on the topic of pregnancy registries.

Brain Development and Epilepsy:

Pediatrics is another issue that will receive much attention during this meeting. On Monday evening there will be a Pediatric Epilepsy Highlights Session in which authors of select posters and presentations will present their data on studies in pediatric epilepsy, brain development and genetics. Immediately following will be the annual Pediatric Epilepsy Symposium focusing on the basic science and clinical aspects of hemispheric brain malformations that cause catastrophic epilepsy in infants and children.

Other research to be discussed at the meeting includes:


-- Anxiety, Depression, Neuroticism: Do They Determine Patient Outcomes?

A group discussion on patient centered health outcomes related to quality of life

-- Improving Outcomes with Innovative Surgical Techniques

A symposium on innovative surgical techniques for epilepsy with a focus on hemispheric syndromes, temporal lobe epilepsy and tuberous sclerosis

-- Transplantation and Gene Therapy

An open session and debate for anyone who can provide insight or new experimental findings

About Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects more than 2.5 million Americans. Characterized by recurrent seizures and caused by disturbed electrical rhythms of the central nervous system, epilepsy typically manifests itself through convulsive attacks usually with clouding of consciousness. While there is not a cure for epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with preventive medications. Evidence suggests that early diagnosis and effective treatment can improve the long-term prognosis for people with epilepsy. Given the documented disruptions in education, employment, self-esteem and personal life that are caused by seizures, the quest for early recognition and treatment should be urgent.

About The American Epilepsy Society (AES)

The American Epilepsy Society, based in West Hartford, Connecticut, is one of the oldest neurological professional organizations in the nation, with roots dating to 1898. The Society promotes research and education for professionals dedicated to the prevention, treatment and cure of Epilepsy. Membership in the Society is made up of clinicians and researchers investigating basic and clinical aspects of epilepsy, and other health-care professionals interested in seizure disorders. Members represent pediatric and adult sides of epilepsy.

The Society holds its scientific meeting annually, offering symposia, lectures, poster presentations and exhibitions. The meeting attracts more than 3,500 professionals from throughout the U.S. and abroad and offers excellent opportunities for networking and sharing of ideas.

Contact Information

Christer Osterling

PR

American Epilepsy Society

Contact via E-mail