The Top 10 Priorities for Epilepsy Research in Canada
Over a two-year process, our Canadian epilespy friends at EpLink, the Ontario Brain Institute and the James Lind Alliance collaborated to gather the input of people living and affected by epilepsy in Canada and determine what the most important research priorities epilepsy and seizures are.
Read on to find out the top 10 priorities for epilepsy research in Canada:
- Can genetic markers be used to diagnose and treat epilepsy and seizure disorders?
- What are the impacts of long-term use of anti-seizure drugs, the causes of side effects of these treatments and how can we prevent the side effects?
- What are the long-term impacts of seizures on a person’s brain, and overall health and development?
- How can the risk of SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) be reduced in people with epilepsy?
- What is the most effective testing protocol for determining causes of seizures and/or a diagnosis of epilepsy or other seizure disorders and to reduce time to diagnosis?
- What are the brain changes, on a cellular level, that lead to seizure development?
- How effective is surgical treatment for adult and children who experience seizures/epilepsy?
- What causes memory problems associated with seizures? Can these memory problems improve over time and what are the best treatment options for memory loss in people who experience seizures?
- Aside from anti-seizure drugs and some brain lesions, what causes behavioural changes in people who experience seizures? What is the best way to treat behavioural issues?
- What is the efficacy (i.e., the effectiveness of reducing seizures) of adding a second anti-seizure medication compared to changing to a different anti-seizure medication? How can we determine which combinations of anti-seizure drugs are effective?
EpLink, the Ontario Brain Institute and the James Lind Alliance feel that the above list is an important first step in ensuring that funds and resources are genuinely focused on the issues that will benefit people living with epilepsy, their caregivers, and clinicians.
Please click here to learn more about the findings by EpLink, the Ontario Brain Institute and the James Lind Alliance and the research priorities for epilepsy in Canada.