Editor's Message

It is our great pleasure to present to you another issue of the International Journal of Epilepsy (IJEP). Due to some glitches, the release of the current combined issue, originally scheduled for 2023, was delayed. However, with the continued support of our reviewers, authors, and readers, we are catching up in publishing timely and in our commitment to bring to you the excellent scientific works of our contributors from across the globe.

In the current issue, the first research paper by Midhun Mohan et al on psychogenic nonepileptic seizures provides important insights into the clinical semiology and comparative analysis of different classification systems for this entity. Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures may coexist with epileptic seizures and may have significant comorbidities. A universally accepted and semiology-based classification system for this entity will lead to better future studies.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has remarkably influenced human life in its social, psychological, economic, and health domains over the last 4 years. In their study on COVID-19 vaccination status among people with epilepsy attending a tertiary care epilepsy clinic, Mokmod Shyamsundar et al show that less than half of the patients were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and fear of worsening of the seizure frequency was the most common reason for vaccine hesitancy. Education and awareness are powerful tools in allaying the fear and instilling confidence in chronic disease patients in the face of such adversities.

In another paper of the issue, Cyrille Nkouonlack et al highlight the issue of seizure-related physical injuries among patients with epilepsy in Cameroon. They noticed physical injuries in one-fourth of their patients, with doubled risk of mild soft-tissue injuries compared with the general population. Such data are important for education of patients and families on preventive measures as part of their management plans.

Further, we present interesting case vignettes of idiopathic hemiconvulsion hemiplegia epilepsy (HHE) syndrome in an older child, highlighting the challenges with the current age-based definition of HHE. The case description of the role of the Wada test in demonstrating ipsilateral language function in Dyke–Davidoff–Masson syndrome provides important clinical insights into epilepsy treatment. Another case report on the ear-plugging semiology in temporal lobe epilepsy underscores the role of video recording of events to explain this unique motor manifestation in response to auditory hallucinations. A letter to the editor from our colleagues in Pakistan highlights the dilemma of misconceptions in epilepsy and challenges in its differentiation from psychogenic nonepileptic events, especially in the underdeveloped regions.

Finally, in our new “In the Spotlight” section, Prof. Rajendra Kumar Sureka pens the exotic, paradigmatic journey of 30 years of effecting change in epilepsy care in rural areas via camps in the state of Rajasthan. The article inspires the younger generation to take up the difficult task of bridging the gap in epilepsy care in urban versus rural areas.

We thank our reviewers, technical staff, and collaborators for their untiring efforts and dedication toward the journal. We hope our readers find this issue interesting and pertinent to their practice and research. We invite you to share your work in the upcoming sections on teaching electroencephalogram (EEG), neuroimage of the month (related to epilepsy), brief viewpoints on contemporary issues for people with epilepsy, and multiple-choice questions. Your valuable suggestions/inputs are solicited to enhance the outreach and impact of IJEP!

Publication History

Article published online:
12 September 2024