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Significant gaps have been found in levels of epilepsy care across the UK, it has emerged.

According to new figures, nearly half of health trusts in England do not employ a specialist for the condition.

Epilepsy Action has claimed it is further evidence that the condition – which affects around 400,000 people – is being ignored.

Simon Wigglesworth, deputy chief executive of the charity, noted that there is already "a great deal of stigma" attached to seizures, adding that poor levels of care make treatment even more difficult.

"One young man suffered seizures for most of his life. It wasn’t until he was referred to a specialist more than ten years after he was diagnosed that medics discovered a benign tumour was the cause," he remarked.

Currently, two thirds of primary care trusts do not have a specialist epilepsy nurse.

In related news, thisislocallondon.co.uk recently reported that a major refurbishment at the National Society for Epilepsy in London has been given the green light.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with epilepsy

A major refurbishment at the National Society for Epilepsy in London has been given the green light, it has emerged.

Proposals had been put forward to replace the Dearmer, Kitchener and Stanley Maude houses on the site, which the staff claimed were outdated, reports thisislocallondon.co.uk.

The proposals for the new buildings – which will provide accommodation for 20 people – have now been passed, despite the fact that the centre is situated on green belt land.

Councillor Julie Burton said there were "special circumstances" which allowed the plans to go-ahead.

Meanwhile, scientists from Italy and the US recently discovered that that a faulty immune reaction could be responsible for the development of epilepsy.

Studies in mice linked epileptic seizures to immune cells which were found to be sticking inside their blood vessels.

Professor Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist from University College London and a member of Epilepsy Research UK’s scientific advisory board, deemed the research "interesting and exciting".

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with epilepsy

Scientists from Italy and the US have made a significant discovery which sheds light on the causes of epilepsy.

According to the study, a faulty immune reaction could be responsible for the development of the condition.

Studies in mice linked epileptic seizures to immune cells which were found to be sticking inside their blood vessels.

By freeing these cells, the researchers were able to prevent the development of the disease in the test subjects – which may be of note to those considering life insurance.

Professor Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist from University College London and a member of Epilepsy Research UK’s scientific advisory board, deemed the research "interesting and exciting".

"It provides a further piece of evidence for a breakdown in the blood brain barrier in the development of epilepsy," he said.

He added that there are already drugs available which engage with this process, but they have not yet been used in the treatment of epilepsy.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with epilepsy

Metformine, a drug which is commonly used to treat diabetes, may be an effective therapy for epilepsy, experts have claimed.

It is thought the discovery could be especially relevant to the proportion of patients who have recurrent seizures despite therapy with the best available drugs.

The fundamental effect of Metaformine is similar to a ketogenic diet, which is an attempt to significantly cut starch and sugar in the body.

Patients suffering with epilepsy have traditionally used this dietary strategy for centuries, which led Dr. Avtar Roopra and his team to wonder if drugs could engage with metabolic pathways and produce a similar result.

The team identified a small molecule in neurons that senses how much energy is available on hand.

Both glucose and Metformine turn on this sensor, which meant they were able to suppress over-active nerve cells by removing their ability to turn sugar into excess energy when the correct dose of the drug was administered.

Dr Roopra and his colleagues now intend to apply the results to a mouse model of epilepsy.


The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with epilepsy.

Pregnant women with epilepsy could benefit from a popular drug designed to reduce seizures while minimising birth defects.

Researchers at Emory University in the US found that lamotrigine can improve the overall health of expectant mothers and their unborn babies.

For the purposes of the study, 53 women taking lamotrigine underwent therapeutic drug monitoring throughout their pregnancies.

Although previous work had suggested that the treatment caused seizures to worsen, this latest experiment revealed that strict monitoring of the drug can actually lead to a reduction.

"Our findings provide a foundation for treatment guidelines to prevent increased seizure frequency and ultimately improve the health of the mother and foetus," confirmed Dr Page Pennell, director of the Emory Epilepsy Programme.

"This is important data considering current treatment guidelines do not address how to dose epilepsy drugs once women become pregnant; it’s really a benefit for both mothers and babies," she added.

Published in the online edition of Neurology, the latest findings mark the success of doctors specially trained to manage disorders of the brain and nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, as well as epilepsy.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with epilepsy