The Neurology Residents Scholar Program

2011 NRSP Agenda

Time	Topic
Thursday, September 8, 2011
4:00-6:00 PM	General Session
6:00-8:00 PM	Welcome Reception
Friday, September 9, 2011
7:00-7:50 AM	Breakfast
7:50-10:00 AM	General Sessions*
10:00 AM-11:00 PM	Electives**
11:00 AM-12:00 PM	General Session
12:00-1:00 PM	Lunch
1:00-3:00 PM	General Sessions
3:00-5:00 PM	EEG Workshop
6:00-8:00 PM	Plated Dinner and Epilepsy Bowl
Saturday, September 11, 2011
7:00-7:50 AM	Breakfast
7:50-11:15 AM	General Sessions*
11:15 AM-12:15 PM	Electives**
12:15-1:15 PM	Lunch
1:15-3:45 PM	General Sessions*
3:45-5:45 PM	Case Study Workshop
6:00-8:00 PM	Dinner
Sunday, September 12, 2011
6:00-10:00 AM	Breakfast and Departures

^*General Sessions include topics such as: Neurobiology of Epilepsy, Classification of Seizures, Neuroimaging, Surgical Assessment, Neuropsychology, How to Choose AED Therapies, Women's Health Issues, and the Science of EEG.

^**Elective Courses include topics such as: Advanced EEG Throughout the Life Stages, Posttraumatic Epilepsy, Epilepsy in Children and the Elderly, Counseling, and Nontraditional Epilepsy Therapies.

Learning Objectives

Review the neurobiology of epilepsy, including mechanisms of seizures, role of kindling in the development of epilepsy, and fundamental effects of antiepileptic agents on epileptogenesis.
Classify seizure types according to International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) guidelines and recognize clinical presentation of common seizure types.
Identify benign versus malignant epilepsy syndromes that occur in children, their EEG characteristics, and clinical prognosis.
Outline evidence-based antiepileptic treatment options with regard to efficacy, pharmacokinetic profile, drug interactions, and risk of adverse effects.
Propose the place in therapy for emerging antiepileptic agents in development based on available evidence.
Introduce the concept of deep brain stimulation and the early study results.
Recognize clinical features, underlying causes, and EEG patterns of status epilepticus and identify conventional and experimental treatment options that reduce morbidity and mortality.
Discuss psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy as they relate to clinical course and choice of medication therapies.
Identify basic benign and abnormal waveforms involved in interpretation of EEGs with a review of frequency, amplitude, and location.
Implement appropriate neuropsychological assessment of patients with neurological disease such as epilepsy and head trauma as it relates to impaired cognition and development of posttraumatic seizures.
Differentiate true seizure types from those of physiologic or psychogenic origin, including pediatric NES (breath-holding, night terrors), somatization disorder, and panic disorder.
Outline alternatives to traditional anticonvulsant treatment that may augment the clinical plan in the "pharmacoresistant" patient, including ketogenic diet, vagal nerve stimulation, and acupuncture.
Consider impact of CT, MRI, fMRI, MRS, MSI, SPECT, and PET findings on epilepsy and other relevant neurological abnormalities as they relate to diagnosis, treatment, and presurgical planning.
Describe current surgical options for the treatment of epilepsy and the role of the neurologist in the presurgical workup.
Develop appropriate treatment plans for the female patient with epilepsy that consider impact of hormones, pregnancy, and risk for long-term adverse events such as osteoporosis.
Outline semiological pitfalls that complicate epilepsy diagnosis in the elderly and discuss pharmacokinetic changes of aging that impact clinical drug treatment.
Evaluate the child with seizures and epilepsy with regard to etiology, prognosis, treatment, and psychosocial issues.
Interpret complex EEG cases in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Respond to patient and family concerns regarding prognosis and treatment for a variety of idiopathic and secondary seizure types, including brain tumors, HIV, and trauma.