Epilepsy

There are at least 70.000 patients with epilepsy in Sweden today. The aetiologies are heterogenous and symptoms varies. A majority of patients are well controlled with antiepileptic drugs but 25% are drug resistant and never achieve seizure freedom. For these patient’s epilepsy surgery can be an option.

Low-grade gliomas are tumours in the central nervous system originating from glial cells. The incidence is 1.5-1.8/1000 inhabitants. Epileptic seizures are the most common first symptom. Low-grade gliomas grow slowly, approximately 4 mm a year. Treatment regimens are a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Macroscopically total resection improves the survival rate.

Research programs:

• Epidemiologic studies on the usage of antiepileptic drugs.
• Epidemiologic studies on post-stroke epilepsy.
• Studies of epileptic network in the brain with positron emission tomography (PET).
• Diagnostic methods and outcome after epilepsy surgery.
• Correlation of the Brain-Grid classification system to clinical data i.e. risk of epilepsy and seizure control.
• Analyses of DNA repair genes and growth factors as prognostic markers for survival in low-grade gliomas.
• Studies of perfusion and diffusion MRI with 11-C-methionine PET in patients with high- and low-grade gliomas.
• Studies of neuroglial tumours and epilepsy in adult patients.

Members of the research group:

Eva Kumlien, Adj. Professor

Peter Mattsson, Ass. Professor

Shala Berntsson, Ass. Professor

Torsten Danfors, MD, PhD

Ph D students:

Johan Weber, MD, Ph D student