Commentary
Video
Recent Advances in Epilepsy Management, New Treatments and Innovative Procedures: Patricia C. Dugan, MD
Author(s):
The associate professor of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine discussed her talk at IFN 2023 on advancements in epilepsy treatments, highlighting new medications and surgical options. [WATCH TIME: 3 minutes]
WATCH TIME: 3 minutes
“Sometimes it's all about finding that particular combination of medications for patients who are drug resistant. I think that's always exciting. Not everyone is going to be a candidate for epilepsy surgery. I don't think that we should stop searching for and creating these innovations in terms of medical management.”
In the field of epilepsy, neuromodulation has been shown as a promising therapy for drug-resistant patients and noncandidates for respective surgery or who have failed it. Using neuromodulators as a therapeutic approach for this patient population includes advances such as responsive neurostimulation, deep brain stimulation, and vagal nerve stimulation. Recent research showed that patients with drug resistant epilepsy had meaningful seizure reduction in either the anterior thalamic nucleus or centromedian nucleus of the thalamus with unilateral or bilateral responsive neurostimulation.1
Recently, at the 2023 International Congress on the Future of Neurology (IFN) Annual Meeting, held September 22-23, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Patricia C. Dugan, MD, director of the epilepsy fellowship program at NYU Langone Health, presented on newer antiepileptic treatments in a session focused on seizure disorders. She noted treatment options for patients who are drug resistant to available medications and where the field is progressing in terms of having alternative options for those who are not candidates for epilepsy surgery.
Prior to her talk, Dugan sat down in an interview with NeurologyLive® to provide an overview of some of the recent advancements in antiseizure medications for epilepsy treatment. She talked about how minimally invasive surgical techniques like laser ablation are changing the landscape of epilepsy surgery. Additionally, Dugan, who also serves as the associate professor of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, spoke about the innovations that are underway in the field such as neurostimulation devices for epilepsy management.
Click here for more coverage on IFN 2023.
