Brain Aging in Persons with Childhood Onset Epilepsy: A Population Based Investigation II

This project addresses the important issue of cognitive and brain health in aging persons with childhood onset epilepsy. Dr. Hermann and his team are following a population of persons with childhood onset epilepsy who were 5.3 years of age at the start of the study, were followed for five decades, and are now in late middle age (56.5 years). They found evidence of accelerated brain and cognitive aging compared to healthy controls. The team is now investigating whether there is evidence of progressive abnormality in brain and cognitive health and investigating earlier (midlife) factors that may be predictive of healthy aging.

Dr. Hermann’s research is funded by CURE Epilepsy. The additional funding from the CURE Epilepsy Research Continuity Fund will help support Dr. Hermann’s team so that they can finish analyzing data collected during the project in a timely manner.