View clinical trials related to Epilepsy.
Filter by:Background: - The brain chemical serotonin helps nerve cells communicate. Previous research suggests that serotonin activity may be lower in brain areas where seizures start, and that increasing activity at the serotonin receptor site on nerve cells may help prevent seizures. Researchers are interested in determining whether the experimental medication PRX-00023, which increases the activity of serotonin receptors, can reduce seizure frequency in people whose seizures are not well-controlled on antiseizure medication. PRX-00023 has not previously been studied in people with epilepsy and has not previously been given to people taking antiseizure medication at the same time. Objectives: - To evaluate the effectiveness of PRX-00023 in reducing the frequency of epileptic seizures that start from only one part of the brain. Eligibility: - Individuals between 18 and 65 years of age who have frequent epileptic seizures even after trying at least two different standard anti-seizure medications (either at the same time or one after the other). Design: - The study requires 9 outpatient visits to the NIH Clinical Center over a 34-week period. Individuals who choose to participate in additional studies may be an inpatient during some of these visits. - Participants will be screened with a medical history and physical examination, blood and urine samples, ECG, EEG, neuropsychological studies, imaging studies, including PET and MRI scans - Participants will have a 6-week observation and evaluation period before starting the study medication. Participants who have at least four seizures during this period will be eligible for the treatment portion of the study. - All participants will receive either PRX-00023 or a placebo pill twice daily for 12 weeks, and will have regular clinic visits with blood samples and imaging studies. - After the 12-week period, participants will have a 2- to 3-week washout period without any study medication. - Participants will then have another study medication period, and will receive the opposite pill (PRX-00023 or placebo) from the one taken in the first treatment phase. Participants will continue to have regular clinic visits with blood samples, ECG, EEG and neuropsychologicalstudies. - One month after the end of the second study medication phase, participants will have a followup evaluation with a physical examination, blood tests, ECG, EEG, mood and neuropsychological tests. Outcome measures: The primary outcome measure for drug efficacy will be: Mean difference in seizure frequency comparing the active and placebo periods. Secondary outcome measures for efficacy will be: Proportion of patients with greater than or equal to 50% lower seizure rate on PRX-00023 than placebo Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating scales Performance on mood and neuropsychological testing scales
The primary objective will be to pilot the use of escitalopram for the treatment of major depression in patients with epilepsy. The secondary objectives will be to determine effect sizes on scales measuring depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, psychosocial function and quality of life, and to evaluate safety in the population of patients with epilepsy. These results will be used to evaluate the possibility of a future double-blind, placebo controlled RCT of escitalopram for the treatment of major depression in patients with epilepsy.
Background: - People with epilepsy often have auditory processing disorders that affect their ability to hear clearly and may cause problems with understanding speech and other kinds of verbal communication. Researchers are interested in developing better ways of studying what parts of the brain are affected by hearing disorders and epilepsy, and they need better clinical tests to measure how individuals process sound. These tests will allow researchers to examine and evaluate the effects of epilepsy and related disorders on speech and communication. - A procedure called a magnetoencephalography (MEG) can be used to measure the electrical currents involved in brain activity. Researchers are interested in learning whether MEG can be used to detect differences in the processing of simple sounds in patients with epilepsy, both with and without hearing impairments. Objectives: - To measure brain activity in hearing impaired persons with epilepsy and compare the results with those from people with normal hearing and epilepsy as well as people with normal hearing and no epilepsy. This research is performed in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Hospital and epilepsy patients must be candidates for surgery at Johns Hopkins. Eligibility: - Individuals between 18 to 55 years of age who (1) have epilepsy and have hearing impairments, (2) have epilepsy but do not have hearing impairments, or (3) are healthy volunteers who have neither epilepsy nor hearing impairments. - Participants with epilepsy must have developed seizures after 10 years of age, and must be candidates for grid implantation surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.. Design: - This study will require one visit of approximately 4 to 6 hours. - Participants will be screened with a full physical examination and medical history, along with a basic hearing test. - Participants will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain, followed by a MEG scan to record magnetic field changes produced by brain activity. - During MEG recording, participants will be asked to listen to various sounds and make simple responses (pressing a button, moving your hand or speaking) in response to sounds heard through earphones. The MEG procedure should take between 1 and 2 hours. - Treatment at NIH is not provided as part of this protocol.
The ASK CHILDREN study is intended to aid in future development of various neurologic devices (i.e. neuroprostheses). The ASK CHILDREN study seeks to use study information obtained to identify more efficient strategies in the evaluation and review of neuroprostheses regulated by the Agency.
The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the brain circuits function and circuits involved in the mechanism of thalamic DBS in patients with medically refractory epilepsy.
To prospectively demonstrate the superior anxiolytic effect of high dose pregabalin (PGB) therapy (450 mg/day) compared to low dose PGB therapy (150 mg/day) in subjects with medically refractory partial epilepsy not fully controlled despite treatment with 1-2 concomitant antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).
This is a randomized study designed to compare long-term treatment outcomes in pediatric patients with refractory seizures treated with VNS (Vagus Nerve Stimulation) Therapy versus anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Seizure reduction, quality of life measures, and side effect profiles will be evaluated. The results of this study will provide controlled comparative data to better guide physicians in determining the best overall treatment strategy for patients with seizures who have failed initial AED therapy.
The purpose of this prospective, single-arm, unblinded, multicenter clinical study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the NeuroVista Seizure Advisory System (SAS) in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. A total of 15 subjects will be implanted at up to three study sites.
CAPAMETRIM 2 aims to characterize epileptic motor patterns by a quantitative three-dimensional analysis of movements. This is done to obtain a 3-D motor signature of seizures, for a given patient, and allows their detection with an ambulatory monitoring system. The benefit for patients is to improve the diagnosis of their diseases by better characterizing their seizures.
Subjects with epilepsy with a documented photoparoxysmal response to intermittent photic stimulation (IPS) will participate. Four subjects will be enrolled at each dose level and will receive a single dose of placebo and a single dose of ICA-105665 during the study, each followed by intermittent photic stimulation. The effects of ICA-105665 on the photoparoxysmal electroencephalography (EEG) response of each group will be reviewed before the dose is selected for each subsequent group of subjects.