Epilepsy Research and Publications

Doctors at Henry Ford have been at the forefront of epilepsy research and patient advocacy, testifying on Capitol Hill and participating in legislative hearings to advance epilepsy treatment and improve care.

As a national leader in epilepsy research, Henry Ford has led important studies to improve outcomes for patients with epilepsy. Many of our specialists hold key positions in national scientific societies, making them part of the decision-making process to improve epilepsy treatment standards everywhere.

Pioneering epilepsy research at Henry Ford Hospital

Henry Ford recognizes that 35 percent of the 2.5 million Americans with epilepsy continue to experience seizures or have intolerable side effects from medication. Our researchers are working to change that. The Henry Ford epilepsy care team conducts leading laboratory and clinical epilepsy research on:

• Magnetoencephalography (MEG), a noninvasive tool to study epilepsy. Our center provided the first MEG brain imaging system in the Midwest.
• New drug therapies that reduce the incidence and intensity of seizures, with fewer side effects
• New technology that improves the complex diagnostic process, to pinpoint the source of the electrical misfiring in the brain
• Innovative techniques that help patients whose seizures are not controlled with medication and who cannot undergo epilepsy surgery. Henry Ford is the only health system in Michigan participating in epilepsy research trials involving responsive brain stimulation. The RNS® Neurostimulator continually monitors and detects abnormal electrical activity in the brain through implanted electrodes. After identifying the signature of a seizure's onset, the device delivers a brief and mild electrical stimulation with the goal of suppressing the seizure.