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...

Dementia l: Introduction

Dementia l: Introduction

Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...

Dementia

Dementia

Dementia is a collective term for cognitive disorders primarily affecting memory, thinking, and reasoning. It is not a specific disease but a syndrome, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common cause, accounting for approximately 60-80% of cases. Other types include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Dementia affects millions worldwide, particularly older adults, though it is not a normal part of aging.
The progression of dementia is generally gradual.

Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction

Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction

Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...

Epilepsy ll: Types

Epilepsy ll: Types

Recurrent seizures, stemming from abnormal electrical activity in the brain, are the defining characteristic of epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition. Because seizure features vary greatly, epilepsy is classified using two systems: by seizure type and by epilepsy syndromes. These classifications enable clinicians to describe seizure patterns and select suitable treatment strategies.I. Classification by Seizure Type1. Focal EpilepsyFocal epilepsy begins in one hemisphere of the brain.

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients

Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Geographic disparities in MRI features of ischemic stroke and small vessel disease: A comparative study between French Guiana and mainland France. Findings from the BECATOUR multicenter registry.

Revue neurologique·2026

Same author

Transient global amnesia caused by painless aortic dissection.

BMJ case reports·2025

Same author

Retrospective, descriptive study of acute myelitis in French Guyana.

Revue neurologique·2025

Same author

Combining Total Metabolic Tumor Volume With Beta-2-Microglobulin Levels Predicts Outcomes in High-Burden Follicular Lymphoma Patients.

Hematological oncology·2024

Same author

Impact of intermittent versus continuous infusions on central line-associated bloodstream infection risk in haemato-oncology patients: a quasi-experimental study.

The Journal of hospital infection·2024

Same author

Prognostic value of the combination of volume, massiveness and fragmentation parameters measured on baseline FDG pet in high-burden follicular lymphoma.

Scientific reports·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice

Published on: June 4, 2020

Epilepsy and dementia in the elderly.

C Hommet¹, K Mondon, V Camus

¹Geriatric Internal Medicine and Regional Memory Centre, University Hospital, Tours University, Tours, France. hommet@med.univ-tours.fr

Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders

|March 4, 2008

Summary

Epilepsy in older adults with dementia is understudied but impacts cognition and autonomy. Early diagnosis and careful management with newer anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are recommended for better outcomes.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice

Published on: June 4, 2020

Area of Science:

Neurology
Geriatrics
Clinical Medicine

Background:

Epilepsy is common in the elderly but understudied in those with dementia.
Diagnosing seizures in dementia patients is challenging, often relying on caregiver reports.
Epilepsy negatively impacts dementia prognosis, worsening cognition, autonomy, and increasing mortality risk.

Purpose of the Study:

To review and recommend management strategies for epilepsy in older adults with dementia.
To highlight the diagnostic challenges and prognostic implications of seizures in this population.
To provide guidance on the use of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) in elderly dementia patients.

Main Methods:

This is a review article, synthesizing existing literature on epilepsy in dementia.
It focuses on diagnostic approaches, prognostic factors, and therapeutic interventions.
Recommendations are based on current evidence and clinical expertise.

Main Results:

Diagnosis requires careful evaluation, excluding other seizure causes even with Alzheimer's disease.
Anti-epileptic drug (AED) initiation should be based on a confirmed diagnosis and high recurrence risk.
Monotherapy is preferred, and newer AEDs may offer advantages over older ones.

Conclusions:

Effective management of epilepsy in dementia is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Clinicians must consider the unique challenges of diagnosing and treating seizures in this vulnerable population.
Further research is needed, but current evidence supports using newer AEDs when appropriate.