Cleveland Clinic Research Indicates Lifestyle Interventions Show Promise as Adjunctive Epilepsy Management
A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis led by a Cleveland Clinic team of neurologists and researchers suggests that lifestyle modifications can serve as an effective adjunctive therapy for individuals with epilepsy. The study, published online in Epilepsia, is the first of its kind to evaluate a broad range of lifestyle interventions. Researchers found encouraging evidence that supplementing medical therapy with lifestyle changes may reduce seizure frequency and improve the quality of life for epilepsy patients. Specifically, stress-lowering techniques such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness demonstrated the highest pooled response rates, with 62% short-term and 79% long-term reduction in seizure frequency. Other interventions examined included diet, supplements, biofeedback, psychosocial/behavioral therapy, music therapy, and exercise. The meta-analysis included 71 studies that reported at least a 50% reduction in seizure frequency, with overall pooled response rates of 44% in the short ter...
