Top 10 Research Priorities

The Top Ten include a broad range of topics, from epilepsy-related deaths, the underlying mechanisms of epilepsy, personalised medicine and brain health. These topics span fundamental neuroscience research, clinical research and novel methodologies, including big data and AI.

1. What are the causes and contributing factors of epilepsy-related deaths, including Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), and how can these deaths be prevented?
2. What underlying mechanisms cause epilepsy in children and in adults?
3. What impact do epilepsy, seizures and anti-seizure medication (ASMs) have on brain health – including cognition, memory, learning, behaviour and mental health?
4. How does epilepsy and epilepsy treatment impact neurodevelopment, and can this be managed or prevented?
5. How can targeted, personalised medicine, such as gene therapy, be used to treat and/or prevent epilepsy?
6. How can tools, devices and biological markers be used to accurately predict and prevent seizures and the onset of epilepsy?
7. How do hormonal changes in women throughout the lifespan (puberty, pregnancy, menopause) impact epilepsy, and how can this impact be addressed?
8. How can quality of life be improved for people with epilepsy, their families and carers, including those bereaved by epilepsy?
9. What causes drug-resistant (refractory) epilepsy, and how can it be best treated?
10. How can big data analysis, through artificial intelligence (Al) and machine learning, aid the diagnosis and management of epilepsy?