Cedars-Sinai Experts at Annual Epilepsy Meeting

Experts from the departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, as well as Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's, are attending the American Epilepsy Society 2024 Annual Meeting Dec. 6-10 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The specialists are available to discuss diagnosis and treatment of the chronic seizure disorder, as well as breaking news and research highlighted throughout the conference.

"Important topics at the meeting include self-management tools for epilepsy patients, the biology and genetics of epilepsy, diagnosis and prognosis, symptom management, technologies such as neuromodulation, chronotherapy, dietary therapies, medications and surgical treatment," said Nancy L. Sicotte, MD , chair of the Department of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai. "Our investigators and clinicians from the departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery will have a great opportunity to learn-and to share their knowledge."

Attending the meeting and available for media interviews:

Jeffrey Chung, MD , director of the Epilepsy Program and associate professor of Neurology, can discuss proper evaluation and options for seizure control for patients whose epilepsy is not adequately controlled by medications. His research focuses on mechanisms of epilepsy, predicting outcomes of surgical decisions, and device-oriented therapy.

Lisa Bateman, MD , director of the Surgical Epilepsy Program and professor of Neurology, can discuss epilepsy-related morbidity and mortality, including Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), and will be co-chairing a session at the concurrent Partners Against Mortality in Epilepsy meeting Dec. 5. Bateman also will present new research conducted with a team from the Smidt Heart Institute and the Department of Neurology about sudden cardiac death in epilepsy. In addition, Bateman can speak to women's issues in epilepsy, including recently updated guidelines on the management of pregnancy in people with epilepsy.

Deborah Holder, MD , director of the Pediatric Epilepsy Program, pediatric neurologist at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's and neurologist at Cedars-Sinai, can discuss signs of epilepsy in children , how they can be easily missed, and current options for treatment.

David Bonda, MD , assistant professor of Pediatrics and Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's, can discuss pediatric epilepsy surgery , a treatment available to the 30% of pediatric epilepsy patients whose condition is not well controlled by medication.

To schedule an interview, contact: Christina Elston, [email protected] or 626-298-0702.