The Adams Neurosciences Center is scheduled to open in 2027, but leaders with the Yale Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at Yale New Haven Hospital are already growing their team and expanding access to expert care.
The Epilepsy Center recently hired four additional, full-time epileptologists - neurologists specializing in epilepsy diagnosis, treatment and management – along with an outpatient advanced practice provider (APP).
“This will allow us to offer timely outpatient clinic appointments,” said Anuradha Singh, MD, clinical chief and director of the Epilepsy Center, co-director of Epilepsy Surgery and professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Yale School of Medicine (YSM). “Our experts offer the best treatments, advanced neuroimaging, neurostimulation devices and dietary therapies to patients with epilepsy.”
The National Association of Epilepsy Centers has designated the Yale Comprehensive Epilepsy Center a Level 4 Epilepsy Center that provides the highest level of medical and surgical evaluation and treatment.
In addition to epileptologists, the Center team includes epilepsy neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, neuroradiologists, psychiatrists, social workers, dietitians, nurses, EEG technologists, APPs and neuropathologists. Patients receive comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services and a full range of medical, surgical, dietary and neurostimulation device options.
The opening of the Adams Neurosciences Center will bring additional enhancements to a program with a 57-year history of innovation. In 1968, Richard Mattson, MD, professor emeritus of Neurology, YSM, collaborated with YNHH to open what was then called the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit.
“Some of the major advances in epilepsy in the past few decades – many of which the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center has been very closely involved with – are in anti-seizure medications and brain imaging – especially magnetic resonance imaging,” said Lawrence Hirsch, MD, academic chief of Epilepsy and EEG, and professor of Neurology, YSM.
Other advances have included surgically implanted brain stimulators and laser ablation to destroy seizure-causing cells, said Dr. Hirsch, who, along with other Epilepsy Center physicians, is involved in numerous research studies.
Research into new treatments and procedures will continue at the Adams Neurosciences Center, which will also feature the latest technology and facilities. These include a 12-bed, dedicated Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU). The unit will be larger than the current York Street Campus unit, allowing the team to do more EMU studies and “offer help to many more patients,” Dr. Singh said.
Yale also offers specialized clinics for patients experiencing their first seizure or new-onset epilepsy, aiming to provide rapid diagnosis, assessment, treatment plans and counseling to patients and their caregivers.
With its tradition of innovation, the current growth of its team and plans for additional programs and services, the Yale Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at YNHH will be ready to move into its new home in 2027.
“We are excited to offer the state-of-the-art patient care facilities the new Neurosciences Center will bring,” Dr. Singh said.
Learn more about the Adams Neurosciences Center project
