Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...

Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists

Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists

Glutamate is a fundamental neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, playing a vital role in neuronal communication and various cognitive processes. Glutamate stands as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its presence is crucial for the communication between neurons, underpinning essential processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity. These functions are vital for higher-order cognitive processes, including learning and memory. The...

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early years,...

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...

Seizures l: Introduction

Seizures l: Introduction

Understanding seizures and epilepsy relies on key definitions that help in recognizing, classifying, and managing these disorders. These definitions provide a framework for recognizing, classifying, and managing seizure disorders.DefinitionsA seizure is a sudden, abnormal burst of electrical activity in the brain that can cause changes in awareness, movement, sensation, or behavior, depending on the area involved. Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Increased interval between seizure clusters across time in pediatric patients treated with the immediate-use seizure medication diazepam nasal spray.

Epilepsia·2026

Same author

Postapproval Study for Brain-Responsive Neurostimulation for Drug-Resistant Focal Epilepsy: Three-Year Efficacy and Interim Safety Results.

Neurology·2026

Same author

Utilization of Stiripentol in Children With Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies: Considerations for Clinical Practice.

Pediatric neurology·2026

Same author

State-of-the-Art Management of Children with Intractable Epilepsy and Brain Tumors.

Pediatric neurosurgery·2026

Same author

Safety and effectiveness of diazepam nasal spray in patients with Rett syndrome and seizure clusters: <i>post hoc</i> analyses from a long-term safety study and survey of severity and burden.

Frontiers in neurology·2026

Same author

Zorevunersen in Children and Adolescents with Dravet Syndrome.

The New England journal of medicine·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Published on: September 20, 2024

Evidence-based versus reported epilepsy management practices.

Katherine S Mastriani¹, Virginia C Williams, Thomas C Hulsey

¹Division of Pediatric Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.

Journal of Child Neurology

|February 19, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Child neurologists follow evidence for starting antiepileptic drugs but not the ketogenic diet in pediatric epilepsy. Evidence suggests wider ketogenic diet adoption for better safety and efficacy.

More Related Videos

Sampling Cerebrospinal Fluid and Blood from Lateral Tail Vein in Rats During EEG Recordings

Sampling Cerebrospinal Fluid and Blood from Lateral Tail Vein in Rats During EEG Recordings

Published on: September 1, 2023

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Published on: September 20, 2024

Sampling Cerebrospinal Fluid and Blood from Lateral Tail Vein in Rats During EEG Recordings

Sampling Cerebrospinal Fluid and Blood from Lateral Tail Vein in Rats During EEG Recordings

Published on: September 1, 2023

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

Area of Science:

Pediatric Neurology
Evidence-Based Medicine
Epilepsy Management

Background:

Adoption of evidence-based medicine (EBM) in clinical practice presents challenges for busy practitioners.
Two key clinical management questions in pediatric epilepsy include initiating antiepileptic drugs and prescribing the ketogenic diet.

Purpose of the Study:

To assess practicing child neurologists' adherence to published evidence for pediatric epilepsy management.
To compare adherence to EBM for antiepileptic drug initiation versus ketogenic diet prescription.

Main Methods:

Surveyed child neurologists at a national meeting regarding their clinical practices.
Evaluated clinical study evidence using the Oxford Scale and a novel rating approach for refuting studies.

Main Results:

Practitioners demonstrated strong adherence to EBM for initiating antiepileptic drugs.
Adherence to EBM was significantly lower for prescribing the ketogenic diet.
Discrepancies in adherence could not be solely attributed to differences in available evidence.

Conclusions:

Practitioner attitudes towards epilepsy management strategies vary, independent of evidence strength.
Safety and efficacy data support increased adoption of the ketogenic diet in pediatric epilepsy care.