EEC 2022 | The need for seizure forecasting systems in epilepsy

Pedro Viana, MD, PhD Candidate, King’s College London, London, UK, outlines the problems associated with seizure unpredictability in epilepsy. Although seizures occur relatively rarely in patients with epilepsy, when they do happen, they can be catastrophic to the extent of causing injuries/sudden death, and they often seem to occur in a random manner. Since there is no warning for the patients before a seizure occurs, patients with epilepsy live in perpetual uncertainty, which affects their quality of life. This effect has been demonstrated by surveys identifying seizure unpredictability as the most disabling factor in patients’ lives. Consequently, there is a large interest, both from patients and the research domain, to develop seizure forecasting systems. This will enable patients to protect themselves in advance when seizure risk is high, as well as make them feel safer and more confident when seizure risk is low. This interview took place at the European Epilepsy Congress (EEC) 2022.