Active clinical trials for "Epilepsy"

The purpose of this investigation is data pilot study of the effect of theta frequency stimulation of the vagus nerve on cognitive performance in patients with refractory epilepsy. We will compare the effects of no stimulation, theta frequency (5 Hz), and 'standard' beta frequency stimulation (25-30 Hz) on cognitive measures. We hypothesize that theta frequency VNS will have a positive effect on memory retention. The goal of this study to provide initial data to inform the design of a larger clinical trial to examine the efficacy of theta VNS.

The investigators are undertaking the first European Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) for epilepsy surgery in children with FCD type II, to prospectively evaluate the role of the KD prior to surgery in improving seizure outcome. The investigators will evaluate the role of KD as a disease-modifying treatment to achieve seizure control and improve neurodevelopment and quality of life. Children age 3 - 15 years with pharmacoresistant epilepsy believed to be the result of focal cortical dysplasia type II, considered to be surgically treatable, will be randomised to either receive 6m treatment presurgery with a ketogenic diet, or to proceed direct to surgery (no pretreatment). Primary outcome will be the time to achieve a period of 6 months of seizure freedom from the date of randomisation. Tissue resected at surgery will also be evaluated with regard to the degree of any methylation of DNA.

This is an open trial of intermittent fasting in a group of patients with refractory seizures. Patients will continue on the diet for 6 months to assess the impact of the diet on seizure frequency.

The immediate release (IR) formulation of retigabine has been shown to be superior to placebo as adjunctive therapy in 3 adequate and well-controlled studies in subjects with drug-resistant partial-onset seizures (POS) who had previously failed to respond to two or more antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and were still having seizures despite current treatment with 1, 2, or 3 AEDs. However, of 1244 subjects randomly assigned to treatment in these 3 clinical studies, only 10 were Asian subjects and only 5 of these Asian subjects were randomly assigned to treatment with retigabine. Therefore, this Phase III study is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability, and health outcomes of retigabine, at doses of 900 mg/day and 600 mg/day, compared with placebo in adult Asian subjects with drug-resistant POS.

The purpose of this study is determine the interaction of eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL, BIA 2-093) on the steadystate pharmacokinetics of phenytoin in patients and to evaluate the tolerability and safety of ESL administered concomitantly with phenytoin in patients.

Background: Buspirone is a drug that is approved for the treatment of anxiety in adults. Studies suggest that buspirone might act on parts of the brain that can increase certain levels of brain activity. Increasing this brain activity may help decrease epileptic seizures that come from certain parts of the brain. Researchers want to see if buspirone can reduce seizure frequency in people with seizures who are already taking antiseizure medication. Objectives: To test whether buspirone can reduce the frequency of seizures in people whose seizures seem to start from one part of the brain. Eligibility: Individuals between 18 and 65 years of age who have seizures coming from one or more places in the brain. Participants must have tried at least two different antiseizure medications. Participants must also have had at least three seizures during a 1-month observation period while on current medicines. Design: Participants will have a screening visit with a physical exam and medical history. Participants will complete mood and memory testing scales. Blood, urine, and saliva samples will be collected. Participants will have a magnetic resonance imaging scan to evaluate brain structures that relate to epilepsy. They will also have a positron emission tomography scan to look at parts of the brain that are affected by buspirone. Participants will start taking a study drug (either buspirone or placebo) twice daily. They will keep a calendar of seizures and record any side effects. Treatment will be monitored with clinic visits and blood samples. After 12 weeks on the study drug, participants will gradually stop taking either the placebo or buspirone over two weeks. They will stay off the drug for another 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, participants will start taking a study drug that is the opposite of the one they had before. They will keep a calendar of seizures and record any side effects. Treatment will be monitored with clinic visits and blood samples. After 12 weeks on the study drug, participants will gradually stop taking either the placebo or buspirone. Participants will have a final followup visit with additional blood tests, mood and memory testing scales and imaging studies.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of VX-765 in subjects with treatment-resistant partial epilepsy.

The purpose of this study is to examine the safety and effectiveness of USL261 for the outpatient treatment of seizure clusters.

This study will determine the safety and efficacy of pregabalin (Lyrica) when administered by itself (without any other anti-epileptic medication) to epilepsy subjects for the treatment of partial seizures. The duration of the trial is about 6 months.

This study will examine the safety and effectiveness of infusing a chemical called muscimol into the brain to control seizures in patients with intractable epilepsy (frequent seizures that persist despite therapy). Muscimol, which is similar to a naturally occurring brain chemical called GABA, has been shown to reduce seizures in rats. After the infusion study, patients will undergo a standard surgical procedure for controlling seizures. Patients 18 years of age or older with intractable epilepsy may be eligible for this study. Before entering protocol 00-N-0158, candidates will be screened under protocol 01-N-0139, Evaluation and Treatment of Patients with Epilepsy, with a medical history, physical and neurologic examination, chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, blood and urine tests, electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head. Patients enrolled in this study will have the following procedures: Computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head to guide catheter/electrode placement (see #2). Depth catheter/electrode placement into the presumed location of the seizure focus (the part of the brain where the seizures originate) - A small hole is drilled through the skull. A depth electrode with a hole in the center of the tubing is passed through the brain into the structures usually involved in intractable epilepsy. MRI will be done to check electrode placement. Video-EEG monitoring will continue for 5 days for this part of the study. Patients will be tested for their ability to understand and produce speech, see normally, move their arms and legs, distinguish sharp and dull objects, and put pegs in a pegboard. They will be questioned about headache, weakness, numbness or sleepiness. The electrode will be left in place for muscimol infusion (see #3). Muscimol infusion - Into the seizure focus, patients will be given two infusions-one of saline (salt water) alone and one of muscimol diluted in saline. Each infusion will be given over a period of one-half to 5 1/2 days, infused at the rate of 0.1 ml (1/50th of a teaspoon) per hour. During the infusions video-EEG recordings will continue and patients will be interviewed and examined as described in #2 above). Blood testing - About 2 tablespoons of blood will be drawn daily during the testing period and for the first 2 days after surgery (see #5). Surgery - Temporal lobectomy or topectomy (removal of a small, specific area of brain tissue) is the standard surgical treatment for medically intractable epilepsy whose seizure focus is not in a critical brain region, such as an area that controls language, movement, or sensation. If the patient's seizures arise from one of these areas, an alternative procedure called multiple subpial transection will be offered. In this procedure, vertical cuts are made in the seizure focus to prevent neurons (nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses) in the focus from spreading the seizure to the rest of the brain. Surgery follow-up - Patients will be monitored in the surgical intensive care unit for 24 to 48 hours and then in the NINDS nursing unit for 4 to 8 days before being discharged to home. Another visit in the NINDS outpatient clinic will be scheduled for 6-12 weeks after surgery.