University of Warwick epilepsy study awarded £29,300 grant

A study being conducted at the University of Warwick has been given a grant of £29,300 from Epilepsy Research UK. The money was awarded at a reception last Monday, which coincided with National Epilepsy Week.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, and can result in momentary sensory disturbances, seizures and even loss of consciousness. According to the charity Epilepsy Action, one in every 103 people in the UK has epilepsy. Presently just 52% of sufferers are seizure free, but with the right treatment and medication it is thought that this figure could be increased to 70%. It is studies such as the one being conducted here at Warwick that could help make this possible.

The research is being led by Dr Mark Wall, an associate professor in Warwick’s faculty of Life Sciences, and focusses on ‘absence epilepsy’. This is a type of epilepsy that, in severe cases, can cause up to 200 brief losses of consciousness per day. The condition largely affects children and can cause significant obstacles to their daily lives, especially when it comes to their education.

Dr Wall and his team hope to improve the drug-screening process and develop new treatments for epilepsy that are more targeted and have fewer side effects.

By examining glial brain cells that are important for allowing communication between neurons, the study aims to discover whether a loss of function of cells of this type leads to absence seizures. In doing so, Dr Wall and his team hope to improve the drug-screening process and develop new treatments for epilepsy that are more targeted and have fewer side effects than previous methods. Such treatments could include increasing the activity of glial cells to combat the inhibitory communication between neutrons, if this is found to be the cause of epileptic seizures.

According to Mike Rich, Chief Executive of Epilepsy Research UK, “Research not only improves the lives of people right now, but will also improve the lives of the many people who will develop epilepsy in the future. Research is essential if we are going to find a cure, new treatments, or greater understanding of the condition.” By considering how the work being done at Warwick could potentially effect so many lives, it’s easy to appreciate how important it is for projects like this to receive funding.