Hungarian Research May Help in Epilepsy Treatment

Hungarian researchers are developing a revolutionary new method that uses electrodes implanted under the scalp to detect the electrical signals of epileptic seizures in real time and reduce the number of seizures through targeted electrical stimulation, according to the website of Semmelweis University.

The developments underway at Semmelweis University in Budapest and the University of Szeged are of particular importance in cases where patients do not respond to traditional drug treatments, the annoucement stated.

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions worldwide, affecting approximately 60,000 to 70,000 people in Hungary. Epileptic seizures vary greatly, but what they have in common is that they significantly affect patients' daily lives, hindering them in their work, studies, and social relationships. Patients for whom drug treatment is not effective are in a particularly serious situation, as their seizures occur unpredictably, Dr. Loránd Erőss, neurosurgeon and director of the Semmelweis University Neurosurgery and Neurointerventional Clinic (SE-INK) said. There are many such patients, as nearly 30% of people with epilepsy are drug-resistant.

There are quite a few of them, as nearly 30% of people with epilepsy are drug-resistant. For them, a new Hungarian development could be a revolutionary breakthrough. It works in a semi-invasive way, under the scalp but without penetrating the skull, using electrodes to provide targeted and timed stimulation.

"According to our plans, the device currently under development will be operated by a small pacemaker, so all its parts will be located under the skin. It may be detected by metal detectors, but patients will always carry documentation certifying what metal devices are implanted in their bodies. We hope that this will enable us to effectively prevent epileptic seizures," the professor added.