Editor's Message

Warm New Year's Greetings to Our Readers!

In the first issue of the “International Journal of Epilepsy” in the year 2025, we bring forward a diverse array of research highlighting critical aspects of epilepsy care, ranging from treatment adherence to novel therapeutic approaches.

The study by San Oo et al assessing medication adherence among people with epilepsy in Myanmar reveals that while a majority of patients adhere to treatment, factors such as follow-up regularity and negative attitudes toward missed doses significantly influence adherence. This highlights the need for continued patient education and structured follow-up programs to enhance treatment success. The cognitive and emotional aspects of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are explored in a fascinating study by Priyesh Kumar Singh that examines perceptual sensitivity in affected patients. The author suggests that individuals with PNES exhibit heightened responsiveness to unpleasant emotions, reinforcing the need for holistic, neuropsychological approaches to management. Another interesting study by Sulena Singh et al explores the impact of vitamin D3 deficiency on the quality of life in adolescents and adults with epilepsy. The authors highlight the significant correlation between low vitamin D3 levels and poorer quality-of-life scores, advocating for routine screening and supplementation to improve overall well-being in epilepsy patients.

The focused review by Bindu Menon et al on the complex interplay between systemic illnesses and antiseizure medications emphasizes the importance of personalized therapy. With conditions such as cardiovascular disease, liver dysfunction, and psychiatric comorbidities affecting antiseizure medications' metabolism, clinicians must carefully tailor treatments to optimize seizure control while minimizing adverse effects.

In the realm of emerging therapies, Lakshminarayanan Kannan succinctly throws the spotlight on the role of cannabidiol in drug-resistant epilepsy. With strong evidence supporting its use in syndromes such as Dravet's syndrome, Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis complex, this article explores the challenges, potential benefits, and future directions of cannabidiol-based therapies.

We also bring compelling “neuroimaging case” showcasing focal cortical dysplasia with a dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor, underlining the importance of precise imaging in drug-resistant epilepsy. The electroencephalographic (EEG) section shows the evolution of self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes into electrical status epilepticus during sleep correlating with neuropsychological regression. Last, but the most importantly, we have the exciting set of MCQ by our esteemed expert Prof. Sheffali Gulati, which throws light on key aspects of pediatric epilepsy.

We are pleased to share that our team has successfully regularized the journal's publication schedule, and we thank our publication team at Thieme for ensuring timely issues packed with high-quality research, clinical insights, and educational content. In addition to original research and reviews, we encourage our readers to submit their contributions under the new sections: EEG/video image, neuroimage related to epilepsy, and under the spotlight. Your submissions play a vital role in advancing knowledge and improving epilepsy care.

We look forward to your valuable contributions and hope this issue fosters meaningful discussions and further research in the field.

No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

Publication History

Article published online:
04 April 2025