Category Archive

Diagnosing Epilepsy

Seizure response dogs ensuring safety, providing companionship

February 27, 2014

While guide dogs assisting people with visual impairment have been around hundreds of years, it’s only been in the past three decades that people with epilepsy have discovered the difference specially trained canines can make in their lives. Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides has trained more than 70 dogs to assist Canadians living with…

Researchers sequencing genomes to uncover causes of epilepsies

February 10, 2014

A team of Canadian researchers has embarked on a four-year study of the genetic contributions to epilepsy to develop personalized approaches to diagnosing various types of seizure disorders early as well as discovering treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy. Researchers involved with the Canadian Epilepsy Network (CENet) are sequencing genomes from 2,000 patients. CENet researchers are collaborating…

Life changes for Kerry Jenkins, one year after surgery to control epilepsy

January 7, 2014

Kerry Jenkins is living proof of the difference successful surgery can make in the life of a person who has epilepsy. Since having deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery in December 2012, Jenkins, who was once described by doctors as having one of the most severe cases of epilepsy in the world, has had her seizures…

EpLink researcher says team is ‘quite close’ to finding Lafora disease cure

November 7, 2013

By Deron Hamel Dr. Berge Minassian says he believes scientists are “getting quite close” to finding a cure for Lafora disease, characterized as the most serious form of epilepsy, with inroads made possible by the Ontario Brain Institute’s (OBI’s) EpLink research program. Minassian is one of more than 25 researchers at nine university and hospital…