Title: Seizure: One year after a change of Editorship
Abstract: After the change of editorship in March 2004, new goals were defined and it is custom to evaluate the results after a year of publishing. Seizure aims to develop as an international journal with a scope of Europe and beyond, with a clinical orientation, fast publication speed and increasing impact. In 2005 the impact factor is increased to an “all-time high 1.5”, publication speed increased (on average 22 weeks between submission and the on-line availability of the manuscripts and about 40 weeks until print). The clinical orientation is aimed to cover the wide range of epileptology, from basic research (with clinical implication) via drug trial results or new methods, to psychosocial research. The articles in 2005 certainly cover such wide range and can be categorized in 10 basic groups.1.Seizure semiologyCovering such topics as ‘symptoms in focal sensory seizures’,1Di Bonaventura C. Giallonardo A.T. Fattouch J. Manfredi M. Symptoms in focal sensory seizures: clinical and electroencephalographic features.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 1-9Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar ‘characteristics of first seizures’,2Bhatt H. Matharu M.S. Henderson K. Greenwood R. An audit of first seizures presenting to an Accident and Emergency Department.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 58-61Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (13) Google Scholar ‘perceived self-control of seizures’,3Lee S.A. No Y.J. Perceived self-control of seizures in patients with uncontrolled partial epilepsy.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 100-105Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (22) Google Scholar ‘gelastic seizures’,4Striano S. Striano P. Sarappa C. Boccella P. The clinical spectrum and natural history of gelastic epilepsy-hypothalamic hamartoma syndrome.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 232-239Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (47) Google Scholar ‘somatosensory auras’,5Tuxhorn I.E.B. Somatosensory auras in focal epilepsy: A clinical, video EEG and MRI study.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 262-268Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (23) Google Scholar ‘ictal dytonic posturing’,6Holl A. Feichtinger M. Körner E. Stefan H. Ott E. Ictal dystonic posturing in mesial versus neocortical temporal lobe seizures.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 269-273Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (6) Google Scholar ‘pilomotor seizures’,7Usui N. Kajita Y. Maesawa S. Endo O. Takebayashi S. Yoshida J. Pilomotor seizures in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: a case confirmed by intracranial EEG.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 288-291Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (11) Google Scholar ‘dropped head syndrome’8Brádzil M. Fojtíková D. Košt’álová E. Bareš M. Kuba R. Pažourková M. et al.Dropped head syndrome in severe intractable epilepsies with mental retardation.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 282-287Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (4) Google Scholar and ‘seizures in the newborn’.9Mastrangelo M. van Lierde A. Bray M. Pastorino G. Marini A. Mosca F. Epileptic seizures, epilepsy and epileptic syndromes in newborns: A nosological approach to 94 new cases by the 2001 proposed diagnostic scheme for people with epileptic seizures and with epilepsy.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 301-311Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (24) Google Scholar2.Drug treatmentCovering both clinical studies on ‘levetiracetam in refractory epilepsy’10Mohanraj R. Parker P.G. Stephen L.J. Brodie M.J. Levetiracetam in refractory epilepsy: a prospective international study.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 23-27Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (43) Google Scholar and children,11Lagae L. Buyse G. Ceulemans B. Clinical experience with levetiracetam in childhood epilepsy: an add-on and mono-therapy trial.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 66-71Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (85) Google Scholar oxcarbazepine,12Rainesalo S. Peltola J. Auvinen A. Keränen T. Retention rate of oxcarbazepine monotherapy in a unselected population of adult epileptics.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 72-74Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (14) Google Scholar tiagabine,13Arroyo S. Boothman B.R. Brodie M.J. Duncan J.S. Duncan R. Nieto M. et al.A randomised open-label study of tiagabine given two or three times daily in refractory epilepsy.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 81-84Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (10) Google Scholar zonisamide (a full supplement of Seizure), the comparison of lamotrigine, vigabatrine and gabapentin,14McDonald D.G.M. Najam Y. Keegan M.B. Whooley M. Madden D. McMenamin J.B. The use of lamotrigine, vigabatrin and gabapentin as add-on therapy in intractable epilepsy of childhood.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 112-116Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (21) Google Scholar the comparison of ethosuximide, sodium valproate and lamotrigine,15Posner E.B. Khalid M. Marson A.G. A systematic review of treatment of typical absence seizures in children and adolescents with ethosuximide, sodium valproate or lamotrigine.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 117-122Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (35) Google Scholar continuous midazolam infusion,16Ozdemir D. Gulez P. Uran N. Yendur G. Kavakli T. Aydin A. Efficacy of continuous midazolam infusion and mortality in childhood refractory generalized convulsive status epilepticus.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 129-132Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (44) Google Scholar intravenous valproate,17Peters C.A.N. Pohlmann-Eden B. Intravenous valproate as an innovative therapy in seizure emergency situations including status epilepticus—experience in 102 adult patients.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 164-169Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (74) Google Scholar topiramate in infants,18Grosso S. Galimberti D. Farnetani M.A. Cioni M. Mostardini R. Vivarelli R. et al.Efficacy and safety of topiramate in infants according to epilepsy syndromes.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 183-189Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (42) Google Scholar carbamazepine19Hiremath G.K. Kotagal P. Bingaman W. Hovinga C. Wyllie E. Morris H. et al.Risk factors of carbamazepine elevation and toxicity following epilepsy surgery.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 312-317Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar and steroids.20Verhelst H. Boon P. Buyse G. Ceulemans B. D’Hooghe M. de Meirleir L. et al.Steroids in intractable childhood epilepsy: clinical experience and review of the literature.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 412-421Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (70) Google Scholar Important data also came from experimental animal studies such as the effect of peptides21Stanojlović O.P. Živanović D.P. Mirković S.D. Mikhalvena I.I. Antiepileptic activity of delta sleep-inducing peptide and its analogue in metaphitproveked seizures in rats.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 240-247Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar or levetiracetam.22Dedeurwaerdere S. Boon P. de Smedt T. Claeys P. Raedt R. Bosman T. et al.Chronic levetiracetam treatment early in life decreases epileptiform events in young GAERS, but does not prevent the expression of spike and wave discharges during adulthood.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 403-411Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (22) Google Scholar3.Non-drug treatmentMostly these studies focused on vagus nerve stimulation.23Majoie M. Berfelo M.W. Aldenkamp A.P. Renier W.O. Kessels AG.H. Vagus nerve stimulation in patients with catastrophic childhood epilepsy, a 2-year follow-up study.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 10-18Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (72) Google Scholar, 24Vonck K. Dedeurwaerdere S. de Groote L. Thadani V. Claeys P. Gossiaux F. et al.Generator replacement in epilepsy patients treated with vagus nerve stimulation.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 89-99Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (24) Google Scholar4.EEG-studiesA wide range of topics were published here, such as ‘magnetoencephalography in negative myoclonus’,25Kubota M. Nakura M. Hirose H. Kimura I. Sakakihara Y. A magnetoencephalographic study of negative myoclonus in a patient with atypical benign partial epilepsy.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 28-32Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (13) Google Scholar ‘spiking related to sleep’26Clemens Z. Janszky J. Clemens B. Szücs A. Halász P. Factors affecting spiking related to sleep and wake states in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 52-57Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (18) Google Scholar and ‘EEG abnormalities in febrile seizures’.27Joshi C. Wawrykow T. Patrick J. Prasad A. Do clinical variables predict an abnormal EEG in patients with complex febrile seizures?.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 429-434Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (31) Google Scholar5.Psychosocial studiesSeizure aims to remain an important platform for psychosocial studies and in this publication year studies were published on e.g. ‘gender differences in psychogenic non-epileptic seizures’,28Oto M. Conway P. McGonigal A. Russel A.J. Duncan R. Gender differences in psychogenic non-epileptic seizures.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 33-39Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (76) Google Scholar ‘anxiety with respect to seizure outcome after epilepsy surgery’29Mattson P. Tibblin B. Kihlgren M. Kumlien E. A prospective study of anxiety with respect to seizure outcome after epilepsy surgery.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 40-45Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (20) Google Scholar ‘economic consequences of epilepsy’,30Penberthy L.T. Towne A. Garnett L.K. Perlin J.B. DeLorenzo R.J. Estimating the economic burden of status epilepticus to the health care system.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 46-51Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (76) Google Scholar ‘predictive factors in non-epileptic seizures’,31Kotsopoulos I. de Krom M. Kessels F. Lodder J. Troost J. Twellaar M. et al.Incidence of epilepsy and predictive factors of epileptic and non-epileptic seizures.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 175-182Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (37) Google Scholar ‘behaviour problems’,32Shankar Datta S. Premkumar T.S. Chandy S. Kumar S. Kirubakaran C. Gnanamuthu C. et al.Behaviour problems in children and adolescents with seizure disorder: associations and risk factors A.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 190-197Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (50) Google Scholar ‘drug-induced complaints’33Carpay J.A. Aldenkamp A.P. van Donselaar C.A. Complaints associated with the use of antiepileptic drugs: results from a community-based study.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 198-206Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (92) Google Scholar and ‘injuries’.34Deekollu D. Besag F.M.C. Aylett S.E. Seizure-related injuries in a group of young people with epilepsy wearing protective helmets: Incidence, types and circumstances.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 347-353Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (29) Google Scholar6.NeuropsychologyExamples: ‘the effect of structural lesions on language’,35Goldberg-Stern H. Gadoth N. Ficker D. Privitera M. The effect of age and structural lesions on postictal language impairment.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 62-65Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar ‘neuropsychological impairments in children with BECTS’36Vinayan K.P. Biji V. Thomas S.V. Educational problems with underlying neuropsychological impairment are common in children with Benign Epilepsy of Childhood with Centrotemporal Spikes (BECTS).Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 207-212Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (79) Google Scholar and ‘non-verbal intelligence in relation to seizures’.37Høie B. Mykletun A. Sommerfelt K. Bjørnæs H. Skeidsvoll H. Waaler P.E. Seizure-related factors and non-verbal intelligence in children with epilepsy: A population-based study from Western Norway.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 223-231Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (55) Google Scholar7.Neuroimaging studiesAn increasing important area of studies with great impact on clinical practice is the use of neuroimaging. Although excellent journals exist in the area of neuroimaging several high quality studies were submitted to Seizure, e.g. ‘hippocampal atrophy and neurocysticercosis calcifications’,38Nogueira da Gama C. Kobayashi E. Li L.M. Cendes F. Hippocampal atrophy and neurocysticercosis calcifications.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 85-88Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar ‘PET/SPECT’,39Lee J.J. Kang W.J. Lee D.S. Lee J.S. Hwang H. Kim K.J. et al.Diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET and ictal 99mTc-HMPAO SPET in pediatric temporal lobe epilepsy: Quantitative analysis by statistical parametric mapping, statistical probabilistic anatomical map, and subtraction ictal SPET.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 213-220Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (55) Google Scholar ‘hippocamapal volume and comorbid disorders’.40Baxendale S.A. Thompson P.J. Duncan J.S. Epilepsy & depression:The effects of comorbidity on hippocampal volume—A pilot study.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 435-438Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (37) Google Scholar8.Epilepsy in developing countriesIn line with the ILAE/IBE/WHO ‘out of the shadows’ campaign several studies were published on the treatment problems in developing countries such as the ‘the ILAE/IBE/WHO study on the treatment gap in Senegal’,41Ndoye N.F. Sow A.D. Diop A.G. Sessouma B. Séne-Diouf F. Boissy L. et al.Prevalence of epilepsy its treatment gap and knowledge, attitude and practice of its population in sub-urban Senegal an ILAE/IBE/WHO study.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 106-111Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (82) Google Scholar ‘stigma in Korea’.42Lee S.A. Yoo H.J. Lee B.I. Korean Qol in Epilepsy Study. Factors contributing to the stigma of epilepsy.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 157-163Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (92) Google Scholar9.Epilepsy surgeryAn example: early hemispherotomy in Ohtahara syndrome.43Hmaimess G. Raftopoulos C. Kadhim H. Nassogne M.C. Ghariani S. de Tourtchaninoff M. et al.Impact of early hemispherotomy in a case of Ohtahara syndrome with left parieto-occipital megalencephaly.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 439-442Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (16) Google Scholar10.Genetic studiesFinally this particular exciting area of study resulted in several publications such as on SCN1A mutation associated with severe GEFS+.44Pineda-Trujillo N. Carrizosa J. Cornejo W. Arias W. Franco C. Cabrera D. et al.A novel SCN1A mutation associated with severe GEFS+ in a large South American pedigree.Seizure Eur J Epilepsy. 2005; 14: 123-128Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (30) Google Scholar It is clear from this summary that there is a broad range of clinically oriented articles and that the studies are from all European countries and beyond. In fact the following list covers the countries of origin of the publications of seven of the eight issues published in 2005:Tabled 1AustriaBelgiumBrazilCanadaColombiaCzech RepublicFinlandGermanyHungaryIndiaIrelandItalyJapanNetherlandsNorwayRepublic of KoreaSenegalSerbiaSouth KoreaSwedenTurkeyUnited KingdomUnited States of America Open table in a new tab Finally, the Editorial Board has changed, both in composition and in tasks. The board now serves mainly as the ‘parliament’ advising the editorship in aims and philosophy of the journal and helps to assess its current goals. The new Editorial Board consists of:Tabled 1Alexis Arzimanoglou (Paris, France)Gus Baker ((Liverpool, UK)Roy G. Beran (New South Wales, Australia)Martin J. Brodie (Glasgow, UK)Richard Dasheiff (Dallas, USA)Marc A. Dichter (Philadelphia, USA)Olivier Dulac (Paris, France)John Duncan (Bucks, UK)Christian E. Elger (Bonn, Germany)Antonio Gil-Nagel (Madrid, Spain)Renzo Guerrini (Pisa, Italy)Ann Jacoby (Liverpool, UK)Kristina Malmgren (Göteborg, Sweden)Pavel Mareš (Prague, Czech Republic)Antonio Martins da Silva (Porto, Portugal)Dick Mattson (New Haven, USA)Çiğdem Özkara (Istanbul, Turkey)Emilio Perucca (Pavia, Italy)Steven C. Schachter (Boston, USA)Dieter Schmidt (Berlin, Germay)Jose M. Serratosa (Madrid, Spain)Matti Sillanpää (Turku, Finland)Hermann Stefan (Erlangen, Germany)Pam J. Thompson (Bucks, UK)Peter D. Williamson (Lebanon, USA)Peter Wolf (Dianalund, Denmark) Open table in a new tab