Epilepsy Sparks Insights

What happens when epilepsy medication doesn’t work? Prof. John Duncan explains how treatment decisions evolve beyond medication, from resective surgery to neuromodulation, and how patients and clinicians weigh these options together. The conversation covers real-world outcomes, risks, and the balance between seizure control, cognitive function, and quality of life.

This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis GmbH and had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en

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Why does epilepsy still receive so little funding, attention and public understanding compared to other diseases? Intellectual disability nurse Jay Price discusses why epilepsy remains underfunded and badly marketed, alongside misdiagnosis, quality of life, and how co-produced training could improve epilepsy care!

This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis GmbH and had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en 

🔗 More about episode (inc. transcription) 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/epilepsy-ignored

🌐 More about Jay 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/guests/jay-price

📃 Paper "Epilepsy, it's just not sexy, is it?’: A qualitative exploration into health and social care professionals' perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities and epilepsy, in social care" 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsybehavior.com/article/S1525-5050(25)00437-8/fulltext

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🎧 Listen to the Epilepsy Sparks Insights podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favourite provider!

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Many epilepsy lesions that cause seizures are missed on routine MRI scans, delay diagnosis and surgery. Dr. Konrad Wagstyl discusses his research using AI and large MRI datasets to detect subtle abnormalities such as focal cortical dysplasia and hippocampal sclerosis. The conversation explores how these tools help identify surgical candidates earlier and improve outcomes in epilepsy!

This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis GmbH and had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en

🔗 More about episode (inc. transcription) 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/mri-lesion-detection-ai

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https://www.epilepsysparks.com/guests/konrad-wagstyl

📃 Paper "Automated and Interpretable Detection of Hippocampal Sclerosis in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: AID-HS" 👇🏻

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ana.27089

🎞️ MELD project guide 👇🏻

https://www.youtube.com/@MELDproject 

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🎧 Listen to the Epilepsy Sparks Insights podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favourite provider! 🔤

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Generalised epilepsy is often described as involving the whole brain at once. But does it start all at once? Dr. Frederic Schaper discusses research mapping subtle brain abnormalities to shared brain networks in generalised epilepsy, and how these networks overlap with targets used for deep brain stimulation. The conversation explores what this may reveal about seizure mechanisms and future neuromodulation research.

This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis GmbH and had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en 

🔗 More about episode (inc. transcription) 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/generalised-epilepsy-network-dbs 

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https://www.epilepsysparks.com/guests/frederic-schaper 

📃 Paper "A generalized epilepsy network derived from brain abnormalities and deep brain stimulation" 👇🏻

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57392-7

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🎧 Listen to the Epilepsy Sparks Insights podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favourite provider! 🔤

Don’t understand all the terms used? Check out the Epilepsy Sparks Glossary! 👇🏻

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Psychiatric symptoms are common in the epilepsies, yet they are often overlooked in clinical care. Dr. Andres M. Kanner, epileptologist and Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Miami, explains why mental health symptoms are central to epilepsy outcomes - not peripheral! Topics include depression, anxiety, psychosis, ADHD, suicide risk, family psychiatric history, and how these factors influence antiseizure medication choices and quality of life.

This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis GmbH and had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en 

🔗 More about episode (inc. transcription) 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/mental-health-epilepsy 

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https://www.epilepsysparks.com/guests/andres-miguel-kanner 

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🎧 Listen to the Epilepsy Sparks Insights podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favourite provider! 🔤

Don’t understand all the terms used? Check out the Epilepsy Sparks Glossary! 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/glossary

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Flash-back to our most popular episode*! Epileptologist & neurologist Dr. Ángel Aledo-Serrano talks of his review and opinion on a former paper regarding the antiseizure medication Levetiracetam/Keppra, its effectiveness in controlling seizures, but also the importance of precision medicine. He also speaks of the need to improve prescribing and avoid polypharmacy for people with an epilepsy, the need for further qualitative research into treatment and care, and convincing clinicians that epilepsy is far more than seizures alone. This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by 

This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis GmbH, who had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en

🔗 More about episode (inc. transcription) 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/keppra-levetiracetam-quality-of-life 

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https://www.epilepsysparks.com/guests/angel-aledo-serrano 

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🎧 Listen to the Epilepsy Sparks Insights podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favourite provider! 🔤

Don’t understand all the terms used? Check out the Epilepsy Sparks Glossary! 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/glossary

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*2023

Who should receive genetic testing in epilepsy, and how should results really be interpreted? Epileptologist and scientist Dr. Christian Bosselmann explores genome sequencing, diagnostic yield, variants of uncertain significance, and why results are rarely black and white. The discussion highlights how quickly things are changing in epilepsy genetics and how re-analysis and improved interpretation can meaningfully influence clinical decision-making. This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis GmbH, who had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en

🔗 More about episode (inc. transcription) 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/genetic-testing-variant-interpretation

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https://www.epilepsysparks.com/guests/christian-bosselmann

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🌐 More Epilepsy Sparks Insights 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights

🎧 Listen to the Epilepsy Sparks Insights podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favourite provider! 🔤

Don’t understand all the terms used? Check out the Epilepsy Sparks Glossary! 👇🏻

https://www.epilepsysparks.com/glossary

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​

Who is already using generative AI in health care, and what does the evidence actually show? Researcher Charlotte Blease, PhD, examines the positives, patient and clinician uptake, emerging risks, and where major gaps in training, policy, and research remain. The discussion explores mental health use, long-term conditions, empathy, and why regulation is struggling to keep pace with real-world practice.

This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis and had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en

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Accelerated brain ageing is a key feature of epilepsy that cannot be explained by seizures alone. Drawing on longitudinal imaging and biomarker research, Dr. Marian Galovic discusses neurodegeneration beyond seizure activity and the clinical importance of early intervention.

This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis and had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en

🔗 More about episode (inc. transcription) 👇🏻

🌐 More about Marian 👇🏻

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🌐 More Epilepsy Sparks Insights 👇🏻

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Seizures are often the focus in childhood epilepsies, but they certainly are not the only symptoms affecting outcomes and quality of life. This episode with Prof. Kette Valente looks at the non-seizure features that matter personally and clinically, why they can be missed, and why identifying them early can change care and long-term impact.

This episode is sponsored by EASEE® by Precisis and had no influence over the editorial content or discussion. Learn more about EASEE® here: https://precisis.de/en

🔗 More about episode (inc. transcription) 👇🏻

🌐 More about Kette 👇🏻

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🌐 More Epilepsy Sparks Insights 👇🏻

🎧 Listen to the Epilepsy Sparks Insights podcast on Apple, Spotify, or your favourite provider!

🔤 Don’t understand all the terms used? Check out the Epilepsy Sparks Glossary! 👇🏻

📲 Join us on social media!