64th American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting
The American Epilepsy Society (AES) 64th Annual Meeting, the preeminent scientific and educational conference for professionals concerned with seizures and epilepsy, will take place December 3 - 7, 2010, at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, San Antonio.
A series of nine media briefings is scheduled from Saturday, December 4 through Tuesday morning, December 7.
Place: Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, San Antonio, TX
Briefing Time: See list that follows.
Press room / Briefing room: Room 101B, Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center
Main Briefing: First Major National Study of Epilepsy in Decades
Monday, December 6, 12:15 am -1:00 pm (CT)
Briefing call-in number: 1-866-740-1260; Passcode 5867508#
First Major National Study of Epilepsy in Decades
Not since the early 1970's has there been a comprehensive national study of the public health dimensions of epilepsy. A national study of the health burden of epilepsy under joint government and non-governmental organization sponsorship will be announced. The study is expected to increase awareness of this common neurological disorder and elevate its position on the national health agenda.
Other Briefings
Saturday, December 4th - 10:00am(CT)
Traumatic Brain Injury in Veterans and Children
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the signature wound in today's veterans and the most frequent cause of death and disability in children. Presentations will cover the discovery of a biomarker for susceptibility to developing post-traumatic epilepsy, the incidence of status epilepticus among pediatric patients with TBI, and the care of veterans in the new VA Epilepsy Centers of Excellence.
Saturday, December 4th - 4:00pm (CT)
Status Epilepticus: Potentially Life-Threatening Non-Stop Seizures
Estimates of up to 200,000 cases of status epilepticus (SE) occur annually, often occurring as a first seizure in people with epilepsy. Researchers will report on status epilepticus in a veteran population, and on the prevalence on non-convulsive seizures, including SE, due to cerebral hemorrhage and hematoma in the ICU.
Sunday, December 5th - 9:00am (CT)
New Insight into the Effect of Diet on Seizure Control
What people with epilepsy eat may have more of an effect on seizure control than is commonly thought. One study reveals when and for what type of seizures the ketogenic and modified Atkins diets might best be used. Another finds a basic mechanism for the effect of diet on seizure control.
Sunday, December 5th - 2:00pm (CT)
Breaking News in Neurostimulation for Epilepsy
Neurostimulation therapy is at the forefront in research to conquer drug-resistant seizures. The three-year efficacy results of DBS therapy in the SANTE trial are reported, as well as results of the pilot study of a novel developing external device for quelling seizures.
Monday, December 6th - 9:00am (CT)
Disparities in Healthcare for People with Epilepsy
Featured reports in this briefing analyze differences in emergency department visits, hospital admissions, length of hospital stay, and other disparities in treatment associated with health resource utilization by race/ethnicity, Medicaid status, and geographic area.
Monday, December 6th - 3:00pm (CT)
Elephant in the Living Room: Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP)
Families who suffer the loss of a loved one to SUDEP are often unaware of this tragic possibility. A parent will relate her experience in losing a child, and researchers will discuss new data on SUDEP risks, the incidence of SUDEP in a population study, and a study of SUDEP with a particular medication.
Tuesday, December 7th - 8:30am (CT)
On the Cutting-Edge toward Prevention and Cure
Research is moving beyond the control of symptoms (seizures) to either preventing epilepsy from developing (neuroprotection), or reversing the condition (neurogenesis) if it should develop. Animal studies showing promise in both of these approaches will be discussed.
In-person and telephone interviews with any of the conference presenters can be scheduled by mutual convenience. To arrange an interview, contact:
Peter Van Haverbeke, 703-927-9639, pvanhaverbeke@gmail.com
Natalie Judd, 203-389-5223, Natalie@bigvoicecomm.com
Provided by American Epilepsy Society
