Epilepsy: A Giving Smarter Guide

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes unprovoked and recurrent seizures. While some people living with epilepsy can manage seizures through existing treatments, about 30–40 percent of epilepsy patients are treatment resistant. In addition to imposing a high social cost, seizures have the potential to cause physical harm, negative changes in the brain, and, in rare cases, death. Though epilepsy is considered common, research is underfunded, and investment lags behind other neurological conditions.

In 2016, SPARC developed a Giving Smarter Guide to provide an overview of epilepsy research and funding. This guide highlights key research areas that—if sufficiently funded—could yield breakthroughs in treating epilepsy. These opportunities include:

• bolstering precision health-care infrastructure
• improving the process to bring new therapies to market
• facilitating partnerships and collaborations between preclinical and clinical researchers
• improving cohesive care to address epilepsy-associated conditions