Marta Figueiredo, PhD, science writer —

Add-on treatment with Epidiolex — an oral form of cannabidiol (CBD) — effectively drops the frequency of seizures in people with Dravet syndrome and Lennox‑Gastaut syndrome (LGS), regardless of co-administration with the anti-seizure medication clobazam, according to a review study. The findings, which suggest that CDB…

A gene therapy designed to increase the production of a subunit of the defective sodium channel in Dravet syndrome prolonged the survival, lowered seizures, and partially corrected abnormal behaviors in a mouse model of the disease. The work highlighted not only the potential of this type of genetic approach…

Seizures in people with Dravet syndrome may be associated with abnormal serotonin levels and activity in the brain, according to a mouse study. These results shed light on the potential of serotonin-boosting therapies, such as Fintepla (ZX008), to reduce seizures in Dravet patients. The study, “…

Selectively blocking NaV1.6 — a sodium channel known to be overactive in some epileptic conditions — may offer a way of treating people with Dravet syndrome, according to work in a zebrafish model. The study, “NaV1.1 and NaV1.6 selective compounds reduce the behavior phenotype in a…

Researchers have reported a case of a child with Dravet syndrome who began to have seizures triggered by wiping during diaper changes and whose seizures worsened after a mild head injury. The case, “Perineal stimulation triggering seizures in a child with Dravet syndrome,” was published as a…

Researchers have identified two simple diagnostic criteria to help healthcare practitioners make an early and correct diagnosis of Dravet syndrome in children living in a resource-limited setting in Africa. The study, “Dravet syndrome in South African infants: Tools for an early diagnosis,” was published in…

A zebra fish model of Dravet syndrome may be one of the best animal models to identify new therapeutic candidates and achieve effective personalized medicine, according to a review study. The study, “Preclinical Animal Models for Dravet Syndrome: Seizure Phenotypes, Comorbidities and Drug Screening,” was published…

Zogenix’s lead investigational compound ZX008 provided significant and long-term seizure reduction in Dravet syndrome patients, according to new clinical trial data. The company also revealed data from multiple studies assessing the psychological and socioeconomic impact of epileptic encephalopathies, including Dravet syndrome, in the United States and Europe. These findings were presented in multiple studies during…

GW Pharmaceuticals has presented positive data on the safety and effectiveness of Epidiolex, recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat epileptic seizures in Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes, as well as the potential mechanisms behind its anti-epileptic properties. The data were presented at the 13th Annual…

Specific nerve cells are critically involved in the development of epileptic seizures, hyperactivity, autistic-like behaviors, and cognitive declines in Dravet syndrome, according to a mouse study from Japan. The research, “Impairments in social novelty recognition and spatial memory in mice with conditional deletion of Scn1a in parvalbumin-expressing…