Current treatments for epilepsy are inadequate.
Far too many people do not have their seizures
controlled: in the UK, 30% of people with
epilepsy cannot become seizure-free with current
treatments. Many anti-epileptic drugs currently
available significantly affect patients' quality
of life due to their side effects. Recent
new treatment methods such as vagus nerve
stimulation and new surgical techniques are
helping, but we have a long way to go yet
in optimising treatment for people with epilepsy.
The underlying causes of epilepsy are also
still largely a mystery. We do not yet understand
why some people are born with a disposition
towards epilepsy and others not. We don't
understand how a seizure starts in the first
place, or what makes them spread. Finding
more information about these phenomena may
allow us to find new ways to tackle seizures,
by developing new treatments. The only way
to find new treatments is through research.
There are about 50 million people with epilepsy
worldwide, who all need a chance to live
a life without seizures.
Scientific research is a very expensive
business. It is slow and painstaking. Epilepsy
Research UK often provides start-up funds
for pilot projects, lasting 1-3 years, allowing
researchers to test a new theory. If the
work is promising, the researchers then
have good data to approach the major funding
bodies for more substantial grants. We're
working right on the edges of our knowledge
of epilepsy and the human brain.
These are exciting times in research into
epilepsy. The analysis of the human genome
is allowing scientists to explore in detail
the links between our genes and epilepsy.
Newer drugs on the market are the latest
products of years of research. More and
more patients are having surgery for their
epilepsy. But we still have a long way to
go.
Epilepsy Research UK's research strategy
Epilepsy Research UK invests in research
into all areas of epilepsy - giving priority
to those areas which have the potential
to produce results in immediate problem
areas, including: research leading to improvements
in the accuracy of diagnosis; and research
into improving the treatment and quality
of life of the patient. The charity also
supports basic scientific research and operates
a fellowship programme to encourage scientists
to pursue a career in epilepsy research.
The aim is to support innovative research,
of the highest scientific merit, that has
the greatest potential for patient benefit.
