Epilepsy Center
Epilepsy Research
Epilepsy represents the most common serious neurologic problem affecting children.
Investigators at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are studying how epilepsy impacts children’s psychosocial skills and long-term outcomes of children following epilepsy surgery.
Faculty Focused on Epilepsy Research
Latest Research Findings
How do Social Skills in Children with Epilepsy Compare to Healthy and Chronic-Disease Patients?
Studies have shown poor long-term social outcomes in adults with childhood-onset epilepsy. This study’s goal was to compare social skills in children with epilepsy with those of healthy and chronic disease controls. Our results suggest that having a chronic disease plays a role in the social functioning of children with epilepsy.
Access an abstract of this study: Social skills in children with epilepsy: how do they compare to healthy and chronic disease controls? Epilepsy Behav. 2011 Jul;21(3):238-41.
Social Outcomes After Temporal or Extratemporal Epilepsy Surgery
The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature to assess social outcomes after epilepsy surgery. Overall, the majority of studies reported improvement in social outcomes after surgery. However, prospective controlled observational studies using objective social outcome measures are necessary prior to making specific conclusions about the influence of surgery on social outcomes, particularly in children and the elderly.
Access an abstract of this study: Social outcomes after temporal or extratemporal epilepsy surgery: a systematic review. Epilepsia. 2011 May;52(5):870-9.
Current Grants
Genetic Study of Common Forms of Epilepsy, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Warren Lo)
An Assessment of Social Functioning in Childhood with Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Lorie Hamiwka)
Open-Label, Single-Arm, Multi-Center, Long-Term Follow-Up Study to Evaluate Safety and Efficacy of Study Drug Used as Adjunctive Treatment in Pediatric Subjects with Epilepsy, Anonymous (Anup Patel)
Open-Label, Single-Arm, Multi-Center, Pharmacokinetic, Safety, and Efficacy Study of Adjunctive Administration of Study Drug in Subjects from Greater Than or Equal to 1 Month to Less Than 16 Years Old with Epilepsy, Anonymous (Anup Patel)