Sahel Epilepsy Study: finding patterns in epilepsy in rural Africa and its links to genes
Official title: The Sahel Epilepsy Epidemiology and Genomics Study (SEEG)
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11607947 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A plan to study epilepsy in rural Nigeria to discover how common it is, what factors affect risk, and how genetics may influence it, with results that could improve care for people with epilepsy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $306,954 |
| NIH project number | 3R01NS140606-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11607947 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are residents of rural Tudun Wada, Kano state, Nigeria, of any age who meet screening criteria for epilepsy and are willing to participate in community-based screening and genetic studies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not found to have epilepsy or who decline participation may receive no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project will screen people in a rural Nigerian community for epilepsy using a validated door-to-door approach and classify seizure types. It will compare people with epilepsy to those without to identify potentially modifiable risk factors. It will also conduct population-based genetic studies to look for genetic factors that influence epilepsy risk. The goal is to generate knowledge that can guide prevention, diagnosis, and better access to treatment, especially in underserved areas. The study is led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center in collaboration with local health workers over multiple years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could inform village-level interventions to reduce epilepsy risk and improve diagnosis and treatment access for people with epilepsy.
How similar studies have gone: Similar population-based epilepsy studies have advanced understanding of risk factors and genetics in other regions, though this exact rural African setting is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Trevathan, Edwin — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Trevathan, Edwin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Scaling Up Task-Shifted Epilepsy Care for Children in Africa
A study to help children with epilepsy in Africa get diagnosed and receive seizure care through trained community health workers.
-
Closed-loop control of interneuron timing to influence seizures and memory in epilepsy
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Epilepsy Data Ecosystem: A Big-Data Sharing Platform for Better Care
A national effort to collect and share large, multi‑modal brain data from people with medication‑resistant epilepsy to speed discoveries and improve treatment options.
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Exploring epilepsy genes in zebrafish to understand human brain seizures
A study in zebrafish will model human epilepsy genes to help explain how certain brain mutations contribute to seizures.
-
New MRI tools to better plan pediatric epilepsy surgery
A new MRI-based approach helps doctors decide the best time to surgically remove brain tissue in children with difficult-to-control seizures.
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Role of ATP1A3 mutations in sudden death related to epilepsy
Aims to understand how ATP1A3 gene changes may lead to sudden death in kids with epilepsy and is exploring new ways to prevent it.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.