Lindsey Shapiro, PhD, science writer —

For this year’s International Epilepsy Day on Feb. 13, supporters joined together to eliminate myths and misconceptions about epilepsy. Organized by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), the event is held on the second Monday of each February in an…

Caregivers of children with Dravet syndrome report that their child’s use of Fintepla (fenfluramine) significantly reduces seizure burden and leads to a number of quality-of-life benefits for their children, themselves, and the rest of their family. That’s according to a recent study conducted in Europe, which involved interviews…

Long-term use of the sodium channel blocker phenytoin led to reductions in seizure frequency for four male patients with Dravet syndrome, according to a study in Australia. Weaning off the medication caused seizures to worsen, and re-starting it lowered seizure frequency and improved alertness. The findings are in…

Up to three years of treatment with Epidiolex in a clinical trial led to sustained reductions in seizure frequency — with the oral cannabidiol generally well-tolerated — in children and adults with seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). That’s according to final data from an open-label extension…

Caregivers of children with Dravet syndrome in Sweden reported a number of factors, including fever, infections, physical activity, and tiredness could trigger a seizure in their child, according to a recent study. Families implemented a range of strategies to avoid these triggers, including avoidance of warm weather and…

Six months of treatment with the oral cannabidiol (CBD) solution Epidiolex among children and adolescents with Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) was not associated with improvements in caregiver-reported quality of life or adaptive behaviors. That’s according to a small Korean study — though researchers noted that the…

The first healthy volunteer has been dosed in a Phase 1 trial of BMB-101, Bright Minds Biosciences‘ investigational treatment for Dravet syndrome. BMB-101 is an orally available serotonergic medication, a class that modulate pathways associated with a signaling chemical called serotonin, that Bright Minds maintains could offer a…

Although the use of cannabidiol (CBD) is associated with reduced seizure frequency in children with Dravet syndrome, various cannabinoid-based products, including CBD, may be linked to adverse side effects in pediatric patients, a meta-analysis showed. Specifically, treatment with CBD may lead to an increased tendency for children to experience…

Up to three years of treatment with the anti-seizure medication Fintepla (fenfluramine) did not result in any signs of valvular heart disease — damage to any of the heart’s four valves — or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in children with Dravet syndrome. That’s according to new results from an…

The prevalence of Dravet syndrome in Sweden was one in 45,000 at the end of 2018, with most identified patients having a disease-causing mutation in the SCN1A gene, a study found. Data showed the rate of new diagnoses was higher, the age at diagnosis lower, and the use of contraindicated sodium…