Our Research - Epilepsy

Text 'Epilepsy'

 

 

 

logo for Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre

The Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre brings together preclinical and clinical research across the University of Edinburgh

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder worldwide and occurs across all ages. As there can be different causes, different seizure types, and a range of cognitive and or behavioural comorbidities, there is increasing recognition of epilepsy as a group of conditions and use of the term “epilepsies”.

Childhood-onset epilepsies

Childhood-onset epilepsies (COEs) are one of the most prevalent neurological conditions in children, occurring in 0.5 – 1 %. In addition to the direct and immediate consequences to quality of life for these individuals, epilepsy during childhood has potentially far-reaching effects into adulthood, even if seizures are well-controlled.  For example, 80 % of children with epilepsy have associated cognitive and behavioural comorbidities such as learning difficulties, autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. 

Importantly, 30 % of COEs are unresponsive to current treatments and thirty percent continue to have seizures into adulthood. This has a direct impact on educational and socioeconomic outcomes for these children, in addition to a higher risk of mortality.  Remarkably, in the majority of children with epilepsy, the cause of their epilepsy is unknown. 

The motto of the Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre (MMEC) is, “No epilepsy, better epilepsy”. It has the overarching goal of determining the causes of childhood epilepsies in order to develop new treatments and public health strategies. 

The Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre

The MMEC contains a diverse collection of preclinical and clinical researchers with expertise in topics such as neuronal development, synaptic function, genetics, protein biochemistry, cell biology, brain imaging, clinical trials, neuropsychology, epidemiology, public health, informatics, and medical sociology. This provides a wide research base for which to address a series of key questions and challenges in the field of childhood epilepsy since we passionately believe that close collaboration is essential to fully address the multiple facets of epilepsy, rather than only seizures.  The MMEC has also recently been awarded funding from Epilepsy Research UK to establish a doctoral training centre in childhood epilepsy, which will train the next generation of epilepsy researchers (link to news article). 

Preclinical research into epilepsy: Preclinical research within the MMEC has a particular strength in childhood epilepsies caused by a problem with a single gene, with a specific emphasis on synaptic function and dysfunction. Synapses are the sites of brain cell communication and over the course of the past 10 years there is a growing appreciation of the importance accurate communication of information at these sites. Mutations in many synaptic genes have been identified in children with epilepsy, and MMEC researchers are investigating how these mutations alter neuronal function at the molecular, cellular, network and in vivo level. By determining how, and when, this communication is perturbed, MMEC researchers aim to develop better therapies to for these difficult to treat epilepsies. 

Clinical research in epilepsy: Our clinical research revolves around outcomes of childhood onset epilepsies. The work of our preclinical colleagues is complemented and supplemented by human studies focussed on determining the natural history of childhood epilepsies, identification of potentially modifiable factors that improve health and socioeconomic outcomes, and development and trialling of novel medication and non-medication therapies.  We adopt a health informatics (Big Data) approach carrying out research through the intelligent use and analysis of routinely collected data obtained in healthcare, education and social care, as well as an approach carrying out studies requiring new (primary) data collection.  Some of our notable work includes

  1. development of potential biomarkers for using routine EEG and MRIs to identify children with epilepsy who would benefit most from interventions to improve cognition;
  2. identifying that, contrary to what had long been believed, most children who were previously neurologically normal prior to and survived prolonged seizures have good health and educational outcomes;
  3. determining the high non-neurological health needs of children with epilepsy; and (4) participating in trials proving that cannabidiol, a cannabis based extract, is effective in two rare forms of severe epilepsy.  

 

UoE researchers who work in this area include:

Useful weblinks

 

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