Sharp Waves: ILAE's epilepsy podcast – Details, episodes & analysis
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Sharp Waves: ILAE's epilepsy podcast
ILAE
Frequency: 1 episode/16d. Total Eps: 101

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See allScore global : 37%
Publication history
Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.
Drug-resistant epilepsy: Dr. Patrick Kwan
lundi 24 novembre 2025 • Duration 32:36
About one-third of people with epilepsy will continue having seizures despite medications. What is the clinical definition of drug-resistant epilepsy? Why does it occur, and is it possible to predict? Dr. Cecilie Nome interviews Dr. Patrick Kwan.
Relevant papers:
The costs of epilepsy in Australia | Neurology
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Normalizing depression in epilepsy: Screening, diagnosis, treatment - Dr. Rosa Michaelis
lundi 10 novembre 2025 • Duration 22:27
Nearly 1 in 4 people with epilepsy experiences depression, which affects quality of life, seizure control, and adherence to treatment. Depressive symptoms - including suicidality - are one of the strongest predictors of poor quality of life in people with epilepsy, and they can be overlooked or minimized both by people with epilepsy and by clinicians. Sharp Waves spoke with Dr. Rosa Michaelis about the role of neurologists in discussing, screening, diagnosing, and treating depression as a crucial part of patient care.
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Documentary filmmaker confronts epilepsy in a new memoir: Stacia Kalinoski
lundi 23 juin 2025 • Duration 15:03
Seizures cost Stacia Kalinoski her career in broadcast journalism and forced her to give up running. In her new memoir, Kalinoski recounts her journey from first seizure in college to epilepsy surgery years later, describing her seizures, struggles with medication, and challenges coming to terms with her epilepsy.
Kalinoski's book, Racing Uphill, is available July 1, 2025 and can be ordered or pre-ordered online.
Stacia Kalinoski is an Emmy Award–winning TV news journalist from the United States whose documentary Brainstorm was nominated for a regional Emmy Award. Before a seizure ended her broadcast journalism career, she reported for television stations in Nebraska, Oregon, and Michigan. She now shares her story as a motivational speaker.
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Work-life balance: Dr. Sheryl Haut
lundi 9 juin 2025 • Duration 22:21
Work-related stress and burnout are common in physicians, with rates of burnout estimated between 25% and 60%. These stresses impact physician health, patient care, and health care systems as a whole. Sharp Waves spoke with Dr. Sheryl Haut about strategies to identify work stress and mitigate burnout.
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
The role of microglia in epilepsy: Hero, villain, or both? Dr. Amy Brewster
mardi 27 mai 2025 • Duration 19:03
Microglia can have protective and also potentially harmful effects in the brain. They seem to be involved in dampening the nervous system during acute seizures – but also appear to play a role in neuronal loss and cortical thinning. Dr. Cecilie Nome spoke with Dr. Amy Brewster about the many faces of microglia and the current understanding of their role in epilepsy and seizures.
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Language models reveal concerns of people with epilepsy in online discussions
lundi 12 mai 2025 • Duration 31:59
Many of the most common concerns of people with epilepsy are topics they don't usually talk about with physicians. This is one of many findings of a study using AI to analyze more than 55,000 posts about epilepsy on Reddit. Sharp Waves spoke with the study's first author and two epilepsy advocates about the results and how they could help initiate important patient-provider conversations.
PLEASE NOTE: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation. If you are in crisis, call your local emergency number or crisis hotline.
The Reddit study is freely available online; no journal subscription is required:
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Music, epilepsy, and the brain: Dr. Phillip Pearl & Prof. Nigel Osborne
lundi 28 avril 2025 • Duration 26:36
Music can affect emotions, spark memories, and influence mood. In cases of musicogenic epilepsy, music can trigger seizures. In other cases, music may reduce seizure frequency. Dr. Cecilie Nome talks with Dr. Phillip Pearl and Prof. Nigel Osborne about the power of music and its effects on the brain.
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Links:
Personalised music as a treatment for epilepsy - Epilepsy & Behavior
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Genetic testing for epilepsy in low-resource regions
lundi 14 avril 2025 • Duration 24:59
In lower- and middle-income countries, raising awareness of genetic etiologies in epilepsy and genetic testing options may ultimately shift national priorities toward making genetic testing part of the standard of care. Dr. Parthvi Ravat spoke with Dr. Jo Wilmshurst and Dr. Alina Esterhuizen about initiatives to increase awareness of genetics and genetic testing in epilepsy, including a decision tree model for epilepsy care in resource-restricted settings that has been implemented in Africa.
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Publication mentioned in the episode:
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Emergency diagnosis and treatment of status epilepticus
lundi 31 mars 2025 • Duration 29:15
As a neurological emergency, status epilepticus (SE) requires timely diagnosis and treatment. A US study found that 10% of people with SE were not diagnosed by emergency services. Among those who were diagnosed in an ambulance, 20% did not receive any first-line treatment, while others received lower-than-recommended doses. Sharp Waves spoke to senior author Dr. Elan Guterman about the study.
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Publications mentioned during the conversation:
Emergency response to out-of-hospital status epilepticus | Neurology
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Folic acid supplementation in women with epilepsy
lundi 17 mars 2025 • Duration 21:50
Folic acid supplementation is recommended for all women with epilepsy who may become pregnant. However, there is no agreed-upon dose for women with epilepsy taking antiseizure medication, and there may be risks of high-dose (>1 mg/day) folic acid supplementation. Dr. Bruna Nucera spoke with Dr. Marte Helene Bjørk about the risks and benefits of folic acid supplementation and what this means for pregnant women with epilepsy.
Sharp Waves episodes are meant for informational purposes only, and not as clinical or medical advice.
Let us know how we're doing: info@ilae.org
The International League Against Epilepsy is the world's preeminent association of health professionals and scientists, working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Visit us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.









