The next few years will be exciting for the ICNA and its members. In the current report we move away from activities in Europe (for now) and cover the ICNA meeting in Uganda on “Children with Epilepsy”, the build-up to the imminent Brisbane ICNC and address the next ICNC in 2014 which will be in Brazil.

In a study published in the  Annals of Neurology, researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) report that the anti-epilepsy drug phenobarbital given to rat pups about a week old changed the way the animals' brains were wired, causing cognitive abnormalities later in life. The results provide the first evidence that exposure to antiepileptic drugs during a sensitive postnatal period impairs physiological maturation of synapses in neurons that survive the initial drug insult.

The Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to Arrival Trial (RAMPART) trial results published in the NEJM suggest that IM midazolam is at least as safe and effective as IV lorazepam for prehospital termination of seizures in status epilepticus.

Seizures in early life are associated with autism with about 40% of patients with autism also having epilepsy as comorbidity. A study from Boston Children's Hospital finds a reason for the link, and suggests that the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin ,already shown to be safe in children, could help prevent autism from developing in newborns who have seizures.

A group of scientists has found that video games such as Nintendo's Wii offer an enjoyable opportunity to promote light to moderate physical activity in children with CP, and may have a role to play in rehabilitation therapy. Their research is published online in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

A  special interest group meeting will be held at the ICNC2012
Date: May 31, 2012
Time: 1300-1330 hrs
Venue: Mezzanine M room 7/8, Brisbane Convention Centre
Topic: Does Vigabatrin treatment in infancy bring visual field defects

Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would wish to participate or contribute to this meeting.

• Ann Neurol 2012 Mar 4. Study shows that the 2010 McDonald criteria can be applied for early diagnosis of Paediatric MS in children older than 11yrs, with non ADEM-like presentations. 

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ICNA President-Elect elections are underway. The online voting site will remain open until 12 Noon GMT on Tuesday April 17, 2012. Your vote in this election is very important. Please take a few minutes to visit the online voting site and register your choice. If you haven't received your voting credentials by email, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. asap

Immunotherapy with peptide vaccines may offer a much-needed therapeutic option for gliomas in children, which carry a poor prognosis despite current treatments.