Sparking interest and understanding in the epilepsies whilst bridging the communication gap between epilepsy patients, clinicians, scientists, geneticists – and the world. Hosted by Torie Robinson.
**NOT FOR CLINICAL OR PATIENT DECISION-MAKING*
Visit www.torierobinson.com & www.epilepsysparks.com.
Why Don't Antiseizure Medications Work for Everyone? - Graeme Sills, PhD
Why do around 30% of people with epilepsy still have uncontrolled seizures despite decades of new antiseizure medications? Graeme Sills, PhD, explains the leading theories behind drug resistance - and how a better understanding of the brain could transform future epilepsy treatments.
Chapters 📖
00:00 Trailer & intro
00:45 Meet Graeme Sills
01:29 Introduction to pharmacology and epilepsy
02:17 Challenges in epilepsy reatment
06:30 Why the drugs don’t work: the drug-transporter hypothesis
08:38 Why the drugs don’t work: the network hypothesis
09:31 Why the drugs don’t work: the severity and genetic hypothesis
10:06 Future directions in epilepsy research
13:08 Innovative approaches to research and treatment?
17:58 Closing thoughts & thanks
🔗 Episode page and transcript epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/pharmacology-past-present-future (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/pharmacology-past-present-future)
🌐 More about Graeme epilepsysparks.com/guests/graeme-sills (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/guests/graeme-sills)
🌐 More Epilepsy Sparks Insights epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights)
🎥 Watch on YouTube youtube.com/@EpilepsySparksInsights (https://youtu.be/wHGZoT6bN-o)
🔤 Don’t understand terms used? Check out the Epilepsy Sparks Glossary epilepsysparks.com/glossary (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/glossary)
📲 Join us on social media!
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〰️ Instagram epilepsysparks (https://www.instagram.com/epilepsysparks)
〰️ Facebook epilepsysparks (https://www.facebook.com/epilepsysparks)
〰️ TikTok epilepsysparks (https://www.tiktok.com/@epilepsysparks)
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16 Jul 2026
The Brain Implant That May Do More Than Reduce Seizures: RNS - Dr. Vikram Rao
Could a brain implant do more than reduce seizures? Dr. Vikram Rao explains how responsive neurostimulation (RNS) is changing the treatment of epilepsy, why researchers think it may work differently than first imagined, and how the technology is helping us learn more about the brain than ever before. Could it even help treat conditions beyond epilepsy in the future?
Chapters 📖
00:00 Trailer & intro
01:07 Meet Dr. Vikram Rao
02:01 What is RNS (Responsive Neurostimulation)?
03:38 Surgery length and battery replacement
04:21 Who’s suitable for RNS?
05:12 Where RNS wires are placed
06:53 RNS: a preventative approach?
09:50 RNS data recording benefits
12:11 Suitable for focal or generalised epilepsy?
12:59 Benefits for DEEs, treatment resistant depression, and OCD?
15:15 More information
15:55 Safety and further development of RNS
18:19 Closing thoughts & thanks
🔗 Episode page and transcript epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/rns-responsive-neurostimulation (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/rns-responsive-neurostimulation)
🌐 More about Vikrkam epilepsysparks.com/guests/vikram-rao (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/guests/vikram-rao)
🌐 More Epilepsy Sparks Insights epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights)
🎥 Watch on YouTube youtube.com/@EpilepsySparksInsights (https://youtu.be/wHGZoT6bN-o)
🔤 Don’t understand terms used? Check out the Epilepsy Sparks Glossary epilepsysparks.com/glossary (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/glossary)
📲 Join us on social media!
〰️ LinkedIn epilepsy-sparks (https://www.linkedin.com/company/epilepsy-sparks)
〰️ Instagram epilepsysparks (https://www.instagram.com/epilepsysparks)
〰️ Facebook epilepsysparks (https://www.facebook.com/epilepsysparks)
〰️ TikTok epilepsysparks (https://www.tiktok.com/@epilepsysparks)
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9 Jul 2026
Just a Few Brain Cells Can Cause Epilepsy: Mosaicism - Dr. Stéphanie Baulac
Most people think every cell in their body contains exactly the same DNA. It turns out that's not always true. Epilepsy genetics researcher Dr. Stéphanie Baulac explains mosaicism, how tiny genetic mutations can exist in just a small number of brain cells, and why they can cause a type of epilepsy called focal cortical dysplasia (FCD). These discoveries are transforming our understanding of epilepsy and could pave the way for highly targeted treatments in the future.
Chapters 📖
00:00 Trailer & intro
00:55 Meet Dr. Stéphanie Baulac
01:12 What is focal cortical dysplasia?
02:33 Are these genetic mutations inherited?
04:17 How can so few cells cause seizures?
07:12 What is mosaicism?
09:26 What does this mean for families?
10:03 What is precision medicine?
10:04 Can treatments target only the affected brain cells?
12:49 Why were these mutations only discovered recently?
14:23 How are these mutations detected?
15:09 Closing thoughts & thanks
🔗 Episode page and transcript epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/fcd-mosaicism-somatic (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights/fcd-mosaicism-somatic)
🌐 More about Stéphanie epilepsysparks.com/guests/stephanie-baulac (https://epilepsysparks.com/guests/stephanie-baulac)
🌐 More Epilepsy Sparks Insights epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/epilepsy-sparks-insights)
🎥 Watch on YouTube youtube.com/@EpilepsySparksInsights (https://www.youtube.com/@EpilepsySparksInsights)
🔤 Don’t understand terms used? Check out the Epilepsy Sparks Glossary epilepsysparks.com/glossary (https://www.epilepsysparks.com/glossary)
📲 Join us on social media!
〰️ LinkedIn epilepsy-sparks (https://www.linkedin.com/company/epilepsy-sparks)
〰️ Instagram epilepsysparks (https://www.instagram.com/epilepsysparks)
〰️ Facebook epilepsysparks (https://www.facebook.com/epilepsysparks)
〰️ TikTok epilepsysparks (https://www.tiktok.com/@epilepsysparks)
〰️ Bluesky epilepsysparks (https://bsky.app/profile/epilepsysparks.bsky.social%20%E2%80%8B)
Who has been a guest on Epilepsy Sparks Insights
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Jenny Edwards
Patty Shafer
Ludivine Rohrer
Dr Kaley Marcinski Nascimento
Deborah Kurrasch
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
245,355
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
20 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 73 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
57
Social presence
100
YouTube
86
Engagement
85
Contact Epilepsy Sparks Insights
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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