Epilepsy

Research

Patients at UCSF Medical Center have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials to determine if new medications are safe and effective. Not all trials, however, are suitable for all patients with a particular medical problem. To determine if you may qualify for a clinical trial that may help you, please talk with your neurologist.  The following studies are examples of the research being conducted to help better treat neurological disorders.

Radiosurgical treatment 

Dr. Nicholas Barbaro's radiosurgical treatment for temporal lobe epilepsy is the first U.S. trial of its type.  The aim of this study is to determine whether highly focused radiation can be used instead of traditional surgery to stop seizures.

Levetiracetam for generalized epilepsy

The aim of this study is to determine whether this medication is effective for treating patients with generalized tonic-clonic seizures

Deep brain stimulation for refractory epilepsy

The aim of this study, directed by Dr. William Marks, is to determine whether an inplantable device can effectively recognize seizure activity and stimulate the brain to stop the seizure in its earliest phase.

Prehospital treatment of continuous seizures

(status epilepticus)

The first phase of this study has been completed by Dr. Daniel Lowenstein and pharmacist Brian Alldredge, a medication expert.  The first phase demonstrated that treating continuous seizures (status epilepticus) with medications during ambulance transport reduced complications.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated May 8, 2007