Topic: Childhood Absence Epilepsy

Absence seizures (ASs) are generalized non-convulsive seizures characterized by sudden, brief lapses in consciousness, accompanied by spike-and-wave discharges in EEG. In children with Childhood Absence Epilepsy, 30% are pharmaco-resistant and 60% exhibit neuropsychiatric deficits, that precede the epilepsy diagnosis and persist even after seizure control with medication. Thus, there is the need to fully understand and control both ASs and their comorbidities.Increased thalamic GABA levels have been observed in children with unilateral spike-and-wave discharges and drugs that elevate GABA can

Childhood absence epilepsy is characterized by large and stereotyped 3 Hz spike-wave discharges recorded on scalp EEG often associated with brief episodes of lapse of consciousness. This study aims to detect the seizure onset, in childhood absence epilepsy, as early as possible. Interfering with absence seizures with sensory simulation has been shown to be possible on the condition that the stimulation occurs soon enough after the seizure onset, making early detection of spike-wave discharges a prerequisite for any viable closed-loop system of seizure prevention.We present four variations (two