Cynthia Sullivan, PhD Clinical Neuropsychologist Dr. Cynthia Sullivan has been a partner at the Neuropsychology Associates of Fairfax (NAF) since 2006. She is also an assistant professor of neurology at Georgetown University Medical Center and is credentialed at Inova Fairfax Hospital and Virginia Hospital Center. Dr. Sullivan received her PhD from University of Maryland and completed her fellowship in neuropsychology at Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Washington, DC.

Epilepsy Testing, Consultation and Treatment Options in Northern Virginia Our professional team (epileptologists, epilepsy surgeon, neuropsychologists, neuroradiologists, intervention radiologists, epilepsy coordinator, epilepsy pharmacist) provide a full range of epilepsy care needs including: Care and Education After a First Seizure Uncontrolled Seizures Medial Temporal Sclerosis and Cortical Dysplasia Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Epilepsy Related to Brain Tumors and Post Brain Surgery Treatment with Anti-Epileptic Medications (Current and Investigational) Routine, Ambulatory and Video EEG Epilep

There are currently no medications that work to cure epilepsy, but there are medications that can help control epilepsy. Each patient with epilepsy responds differently to medication, but a single medication or a combination of medications may help to control seizures. Your doctor will work closely with you to determine which medications work best for you.

If you have a seizure and you have never had one before, you should seek medical care following the incident. Seizure Symptoms Expand Content It is important to know that symptoms of a seizure can vary widely based on the type and severity of the seizure.

A majority of people with brain tumors experience seizures. For many people, a seizure is one of the first symptoms of a brain tumor. Seizures are especially common in people who have slow-growing gliomas or meningiomas and with people who have metastatic brain tumors. Some people may not experience a seizure until after surgery to remove a brain tumor.

Medications that are prescribed to treat epilepsy do not work for all patients. Patients who don't respond to medication may be good candidates for surgery. Your doctor will help you decide if surgery is an appropriate treatment option for you. There are several types of surgery commonly performed to treat epilepsy: Temporal lobectomy is the most common surgery used to control seizure. In this procedure, neurosurgeons remove the area of the brain that produces seizures. Split brain surgery is a procedure used for patients whose seizures are caused by multiple places in the brain.

A variety of epilepsy surgical evaluations may be used to determine whether surgical intervention is necessary. These include: Intensive Inpatient Video EEG Monitoring Cortical Grid Monitoring/Mapping PET Scan  A positron emission tomography (PET) scan study uses a very low and safe dose of a radioactive isotope to map how the brain is using glucose. Sometimes, the areas of the brain where seizures occur use less glucose. You should not eat for 6 hours before the study. An EEG is recorded during a PET scan to see if there is seizure activity.

Wada Following, EEG monitoring , most patients with epilepsy who are considering surgery undergo a test called the Wada test. The Wada test looks at language and memory on one side of the brain at a time. It is used to determine which side of your brain controls language. Memory can be controlled by both sides of the brain. The Wada test will help your doctor determine which side of your brain has better memory function.

Medial Temporal Sclerosis Mesial temporal sclerosis is scarring in the inner portions of the temporal lobe, which is the part of the brain that process emotions and is important for short-term memory. Mesial temporal sclerosis may happen when the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen or if you have experienced head trauma or an infection in the brain infection. However, the cause of mesial temporal sclerosis is sometimes unknown. Mesial temporal sclerosis can cause a type of epilepsy called temporal lobe epilepsy.

Many people with epilepsy have difficulties with brain function as a result of their seizures. Neuropsychological testing helps doctors learn how a problem with your brain is affecting how you reason, solve problems, remember things, or concentrate as a result of your seizures.J There is a variety of neuropsychological test. Most of them involve you answering questions or solving problems. Some of the tests may be completed using pencil and paper, while others may be done on a computer.