Stroke and epilepsy are two of the most common neurological conditions, affecting millions of people worldwide. Epilepsy impacts around 50 million individuals globally, while approximately 12 million strokes occur every year.
A stroke can lead to seizures and, in some cases, to epilepsy. There are two main types of seizures associated with stroke:
Post-stroke epilepsy is a long-term disease that develops due to changes in the brain caused by the stroke. These changes may include scarring, deposition of blood products, inflammation, or disruptions in the brain’s networks.
In high-income countries, stroke is the leading cause of acquired epilepsy in adults. Seizures following a stroke can worsen outcomes and significantly affect the quality of life for stroke survivors. They increase the risk of injuries and may impose social restrictions, such as limitations on driving or working.
Over time, post-stroke epilepsy can also contribute to cognitive and emotional challenges, further complicating recovery and daily life. With rising life expectancy, the number of people living with post-stroke epilepsy continues to grow, making it an increasingly important public health issue.
Epilepsy following a stroke typically develops after a “latent” or silent period that can last weeks, months, or even years. During this time, processes that lead to the development of epilepsy—known as epileptogenesis—are at work.
Being able to predict whether a stroke survivor will develop epilepsy is crucial for several reasons. It allows healthcare providers to better inform patients and their families, make more precise clinical decisions—such as whether to start early anti-seizure treatment or intensify follow-ups—and guide important life decisions, like driving. Predictive tools are also invaluable for designing research studies and recruiting participants for clinical trials.
The SeLECT consortium specializes in predicting seizures and epilepsy after stroke. We have developed several calculators and prognostic models to help clinicians assess the risk of post-stroke epilepsy. The SeLECT suite includes tools that consider factors such as stroke severity, location, and cause, as well as the presence and type of acute symptomatic seizures and EEG findings.
Visit our Calculator page to explore these tools and see how they can support clinical decision-making.
At present, there is no proven medication that can effectively prevent post-stroke epilepsy. However, researchers are actively exploring various treatment strategies. These include not only anti-seizure medications but also commonly used drugs, such as cholesterol-lowering agents and blood pressure medications, which may have protective effects.
The SeLECT consortium is at the forefront of this research, contributing by developing advanced prognostic models and analyzing large multicenter datasets to identify potential signals of promising treatments. Through this work, the consortium aims to advance our understanding and pave the way for preventive therapies.