Orange, Calif., Feb. 12, 2013 — UC Irvine’s eighth annual epilepsy symposium, “Epilepsy in Modern Life: Classic & Alternative Approaches,” will address the emerging roles of exercise, sleep and cognitive training and examine ways to integrate these activities into comprehensive treatment plans. The event will take place Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa.

“Our goal is to provide insight and strategies to enhance the quality of life and cognitive function for people with epilepsy,” said Dr. Jack Lin, conference chairman and associate professor of neurology at UC Irvine.

The first session will focus on the influence of stress on epilepsy, as well as such complementary and alternative treatments as herbal therapy, dietary modification and exercise. The second session will address individualized approaches to treating epilepsy, including tailored drug and surgical therapies. Additional speakers will discuss epilepsy and the creative mind and how sleep and epilepsy interact.

Sponsored by the UC Irvine Comprehensive Epilepsy Program with support from CHOC Children’s Hospital, the symposium is open to healthcare professionals, patients, families and other members of the public. The $30 registration fee covers lunch and dinner. More information is available at www.neurology.uci.edu/PDF/2013-epilepsy-symposium.pdf.

Epilepsy is the third-most common neurological disorder in the U.S., after Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. It’s not a single entity but a family of more than 40 syndromes that affect nearly 3 million Americans, about 35,000 in Orange County. Epilepsy usually occurs among the very young and the very old, although anyone can get it at any age.

UC Irvine’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Program holds the highest designation, Level 4, from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. This means it has the professional expertise and facilities necessary to provide superior evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.

The program collaborates with the UC Irvine Epilepsy Research Center to help patients achieve the best quality of life possible. Education, research and direct patient care foster a greater understanding of epilepsy, which will ultimately lead to its prevention and cure. Research center founder Dr. Tallie Baram is considered the world’s preeminent investigator of the basic neural mechanisms involved in childhood febrile seizures – those caused by high fever – and how prolonged febrile seizures might lead to the onset of adult epilepsy.

About UC Irvine Medical Center: Orange County’s only university hospital, UC Irvine Medical Center offers acute- and general-care services at its new, 482,000-square-foot UC Irvine Douglas Hospital and is home to the county’s only Level I trauma center, American College of Surgeons-verified regional burn center and National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. For 12 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has counted UC Irvine among “America’s Best Hospitals.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,400 staff. Orange County’s second-largest employer, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.3 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.wp.communications.uci.edu.

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