Programs of
the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute

Huge strides have been made in the treatment of epilepsy in the last 15 years. At the Epilepsy Center of the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute, doctors with different subspecialties have been working together to develop more sophisticated ways of pinpointing the source of seizures, and treating patients who have been unresponsive to other therapies. This team approach is critical in the treatment of epilepsy. And with proper diagnosis, observation and medication, most people can learn to live with their seizures without losing their quality and way of life.

Epilepsy

Symptoms

Signs of epilepsy may include seizures, confusion, loss of consciousness, hallucinations and unusual movements in sleep. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these, call a physician as soon as possible.

Diagnostics

We provide comprehensive neurophysiology services at the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute, including routine and video electroencephalograms (EEG) for outpatients, evoked potentials, intra-operative monitoring, and inpatient video EEGs.

Treatments

With current medication and treatment, most people can have good control of their seizures. But finding the right drug can be difficult due to side effects that may even worsen the seizures. That’s why a proper and prompt diagnosis is critical in developing a successful treatment plan.

If medications fail, other options are also available. Surgical remedies often offer the next best hope if doctors can determine the precise location in the brain where the seizures are coming from, and therefore stabilize their occurrence.

Another option is to place a device called the Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS), which is implanted under the skin and helps prevent the electrical bursts in the brain that cause seizures. The VNS can effectively reduce seizures, and sometimes stop them altogether.

At the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute’s Epilepsy Center, doctors observe and record patients’ brain waves during and between seizures. Patients stay in a comfortable private room while being monitored, and the information gathered here determines the best treatment option for each individual patient.

A Team Approach

The Epilepsy Center's epileptologists work in tandem with other experts in neurological health to provide a multidisciplinary approach to the care of patients.

P. Jay Foreman, M.D., Ph.D., is also a neurologist with Fellowship training in epilepsy. He earned his degree in medicine from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Dr. Foreman specializes in epilepsy in elderly patients, as well as the advances in the genetics of epilepsy.

Francis G. Tirol, M.D., is a neurologist whose clinical and research interests include epilepsy surgery, intraoperative monitoring, and advances in neuroimaging. He earned his degree in medicine at Georgetown University and completed a residency at the NYU School of Medicine and a fellowship at the University of California Medical Center.

Arash Foroughi, M.D., received his undergraduate degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. After completing graduate work in public health and physiology at the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, in Richmond, he received his medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada.