Looks like epilepsy but isn’t: The disease that is deadly, largely undiagnosed and untreated

One in four people admitted to hospital for uncontrolled seizures 
do not have epilepsy. Image: Shutterstock

One in four people who are tested for epilepsy do not have the disease, but instead have a psychological condition called psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES).

Today (21 July) in the prestigious journal, Neurology, Monash researchers explain the disease, which if it goes undetected can be deadly.

Genetic predisposition to Multiple Sclerosis mapped throughout immune system

There is an extensive overlap of immune cell types and genes 
associated with MS. Figure 1 from the group's paper

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common immune-mediated disorder, with 2.3 million people diagnosed worldwide. A detailed gene map of the illness takes us a step closer to understanding the mystery of how MS develops.

The cause of MS is still unknown, but some studies have indicated that the complex interaction between environmental factors and variations in genes may be what leads to MS risk or susceptibility.

Microbiome key to skin's immunological landscape

Why babies develop eczema is not yet well understood. Professor Ben
Marsland is senior author on a new paper on the skin's microbiome.
Image: Shutterstock

Monash immunologists have published a study following up on their earlier research, published in The Lancet, on whether atopic dermatitis in the first year of life could be reduced by applying skin emollients during infancy. The answer to that was No, as it turned out.

The group continued on with their more fundamental research on atopic dermatitis to try and understand the rules which govern the skin and determine whether they could identify factors that might be the focus of future intervention studies.

In their recent paper, they show in a mouse model that the microbiome - the family of all the microbes that live on and inside the human body - is a key determinant of the immunological landscape of the skin.

23 June - 6 July 2020 Central Clinical School recent publications

Our school's researchers are contributing to publications on 

various aspects of COVID-19 including asthma, epidemiology,

diabetes, perioperative medicine and surgery management.

Recent publications as notified by PubMed during the fortnight 23 June - 6 July 2020 from Central Clinical School affiliated researchers in the following departments. This is not a comprehensive list:

• Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory medicine (AIRmed)
• Anaesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine (APOM)
• Australian Centre for Blood Diseases (ACBD)
• Diabetes
• Infectious Diseases
• Medicine - Alfred
• Medicine - Peninsula
• Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC)
• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry

In the media: Progressive supranuclear palsy clinical trial

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) has no known effective treatment or cure. PSP affects brain cells that control walking, balance, mobility, vision, speech, swallowing, thinking and behaviour. It is a devastating neurodegenerative condition, often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's Disease, that affects people over the age of 40 years old, for which there is currently no disease-modifying treatment.

Paul Zimmet, The Age's COVID-19 prevention poster boy!

©The Age, 13/20 Photos of the Week 19 July. Image: Luis Ascui

Professor Paul Zimmet was featured in The Age's 'Photo of the Week' selection for 19 July. He was snapped by Luis Ascui as he was doing his bit for community education. Paul has crusaded for public health and safety throughout his entire career.

This latest one-man campaign attracted a threat to attack him. He's not alone in this experience - anecdotally we've heard a number of stories from individuals who were wearing masks (prior to the Victorian government's mandate that we all wear masks in public from Thursday 23 July 2020) and were either threatened or physically attacked. Denis Muller's The Conversation article might throw some light on people's motivations and drivers for such antisocial behaviour.

Have your say – Clinical Academic Pathways survey

Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre is leading research to understand what currently exists to support and sustain nursing, allied health, scientific and medical clinicians in undertaking a clinical academic career.

We are asking those who work in a university, hospital, speciality college, research institute or primary/community health organisation to help us complete a short 10-minute survey. Responses will help us determine priorities, programs and resources for our clinical academic workforce.

The survey will close Friday 31 August at 5 pm. Complete the survey

This project has been approved by the Monash Health Ethics Committee. HREC Reference Number: QA/65445/MonH-2020-217312(v1)