Tag Archive for: William Gaillard

William Gaillard

William D. Gaillard, M.D., named as first endowed Professor of Epilepsy and Neurophysiology

William GaillardChildren’s National Hospital named William D. Gaillard, M.D., as the hospital’s first endowed Professor of Epilepsy and Neurophysiology.

Dr. Gaillard serves as Division Chief of Child Neurology, Epilepsy and Neurophysiology, Director of the Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Program and Associate Director of the Center for Neuroscience Research at Children’s National Hospital. He also is Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at the George Washington University School of Medicine, Professor of Neurology at Georgetown University and Adjunct Professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park.

About the award

Dr. Gaillard joins a distinguished group of 42 Children’s National physicians and scientists who are endowed chairs. Professorships at Children’s National advance groundbreaking work on behalf of children and their families and foster new discoveries and innovations in pediatric medicine. These prestigious appointments carry honor and reflect the recipient’s achievements and donor’s forethought to advance and sustain knowledge.

Dr. Gaillard is an internationally recognized expert in advanced structural and functional imaging, with a focus on examining the effects of epilepsy on brain structure and function. His pioneering work with functional imaging has changed clinical practice for patients with epilepsy, impacted structural and functional imaging methods and provided fundamental insights on brain plasticity. Dr. Gaillard’s research is improving patient outcomes and the lives of children with epilepsy.

Donors Betsy Williams and Tom Moore, through their vision and generosity, will ensure that Dr. Gaillard and future holders of this professorship can launch bold, new initiatives to rapidly advance the field of pediatric epilepsy and neurophysiology, elevate our leadership and improve the lifetimes of children with epilepsy and seizure disorders.

“This Professorship is a great honor and opportunity for our team and for the future of pediatric epilepsy medicine,” says Dr. Gaillard. “Thanks to Betsy, Tom and the Hess Foundation’s generosity, we can continue to invest in people and programs that show promise. We can have the flexibility to respond to the needs of our current patient families and prepare for those that will need us tomorrow. We are forever grateful.”

About the donors

Betsy and Tom are parents, members of the Epilepsy Council at Children’s National and long-time supporters. To acknowledge their gratitude and respect for Dr. Gaillard and the comprehensive team he’s built, the Professorship will be named for Dr. Gaillard in the future.

Illustration of brain hemispheres

Children use both brain hemispheres to understand language

Illustration of brain hemispheres

New research finds young children process language in both hemispheres of the brain, which could help compensation after a neural injury. This is unlike adults who process most language tasks in one side (usually the left) of their brain’s two hemispheres. It suggests a possible reason why children often seem to recover from brain injury more easily than adults.

New research finds young children process language in both hemispheres of the brain, which could help compensate after a neural injury. The study, published Sept. 8, 2020, in PNAS, says this is unlike adults who process most language tasks in one side (usually the left) of their brain’s two hemispheres. It suggests a possible reason why children often seem to recover from brain injury more easily than adults.

We talked with researcher William D. Gaillard, M.D., chief of the Divisions of Child Neurology, Epilepsy and Neurophysiology at Children’s National Hospital, to discuss the importance of this work.

Q: Tell us a little bit about this study.

A: This is a study we did with our colleagues at Georgetown University Medical Center, using fMRI to map brain regions that are used to process language across development. What we found was that younger children have more bilateral “activation” in language processing regions, the traditional left and homotopic regions in the right. With aging there is consolidation that becomes more left lateralized. This process is most clearly seen in the frontal brain regions, called Broca’s area, where the right activation diminishes over age

Q: Why are these findings important?

A: It’s important because this work provides evidence for how cognitive systems, and the neural networks that underlie them, become consolidated and lateralized over time during development. It provides insights into principles of the development of cognitive systems.

The timeline for lateralization of language systems means that the cognitive systems that sustain language are “plastic” – that is the right hemisphere can sustain language functions in the setting of injury to the left hemisphere until around 10 years of age.

Q: What excites you about this work?

A: This is part of a larger collaborative effort that is mapping out the consolidation of cognitive systems across development (language, visual spatial, memory and working memory). This work will help us to understand the limits of brain plasticity in the setting of injury caused by stroke or epilepsy, which could have benefits down the road to helping patients recover from these types of events.

Q: How is Children’s National leading the ongoing discovery in this space?

A: It is a true team effort. We are working with colleagues at Georgetown University Medical Center, MedStar National Rehabilitation Network and Johns Hopkins Medicine. Team members come from diverse backgrounds and scientific skills. We are one of the leading groups using advanced functional imaging to investigate brain development of critical cognitive systems and their response to brain injury.

You can find the full study published in PNAS. Learn more about the Children’s National Research Institute Center for Neuroscience Research.

 

Youssef Kousa

Dr. Youssef Kousa awarded Pediatric Epilepsy Research Grant

zika virus

The Child Neurology Foundation has awarded Youssef A. Kousa, M.S., D.O., Ph.D., the 2020 Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation Shields Research Grant. The funds will support his work on identifying genetic risk factors in congenital Zika syndrome.

The Child Neurology Foundation has awarded Youssef A. Kousa, M.S., D.O., Ph.D., physician-scientist within the Division of Neurology at Children’s National Hospital, and founder and director of the Zika Genetics Consortium, the 2020 Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation Shields Research Grant. The funds will support his work on identifying genetic risk factors in congenital Zika syndrome.

This prestigious grant provides $100,000 of research funding to help identify treatments and cures for pediatric neurologic diseases. It will allow Dr. Kousa to test the hypothesis that rare genetic variants in individuals contributed to being affected with congenital Zika syndrome and the severity of the phenotype for those who were affected.

“Despite decades of research, identifying those at greatest risk of congenital infection or being severely affected remains an elusive goal,” says Dr. Kousa. “This research is important because identifying genetic risk or protective factors for developmental brain malformations can help teach us how the brain develops.”

Youssef Kousa

In 2015, Dr. Kousa established the Zika Genetic Consortium to investigate whether maternal and fetal genetic factors can modify the risk of brain injury from congenital infections.

Dr. Kousa adds that this work will provide key insights into maternal and fetal genetic factors that can contribute to brain malformations. The hope is that these insights may one day translate into targeted prevention efforts.

“Dr. Kousa’s project is very creative and has a fantastic opportunity to look at factors of Zika on brain development,” says William D. Gaillard, M.D., division chief of both Epilepsy and Neurophysiology, and Neurology at Children’s National. “This is a very competitive award. It’s a tremendous achievement that few accomplish.”

Children’s National is the leading site for this international research study.

In 2015, Dr. Kousa established the Zika Genetic Consortium to investigate whether maternal and fetal genetic factors can modify the risk of brain injury from congenital infections. Dr. Kousa is the principal investigator of the consortium, which includes 19 co-investigators representing 13 different institutions.

The consortium is bringing together cohorts of 12,000 mother-infant participants retrospectively and prospectively. These cohorts come from 15 international health centers in seven countries in collaboration with partners at the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This support gives us the opportunity to test our hypothesis,” says Dr. Kousa. “We also hope what we continue to learn about Zika can play a role in helping us understand other congenital infections and neurodevelopment diseases.”

William Gaillard

William D. Gaillard, M.D., elected president of the American Epilepsy Society

William Gaillard

“The AES, is one of the oldest neurological professional organizations in the country dedicated to the scientific investigation, exchange of clinical information and eradication of epilepsy and associated disorders, and I’m honored to serve as the new president,” Dr. Gaillard said.

In early December 2019, William D. Gaillard, M.D., chief of the Divisions of Child Neurology, Epilepsy and Neurophysiology at Children’s National Hospital, began his term as president of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) at the annual meeting in Baltimore. The AES is a medical and scientific society with over 4,000 members consisting of clinicians, scientists investigating basic and clinical aspects of epilepsy, and other professionals interested in seizure disorders.

“The AES, is one of the oldest neurological professional organizations in the country dedicated to the scientific investigation, exchange of clinical information and eradication of epilepsy and associated disorders, and I’m honored to serve as the new president,” Dr. Gaillard said.

Dr. Gaillard’s clinical research focuses on the use of advanced imaging to investigate the effect of childhood epilepsy on brain structure and function with an emphasis on cognitive systems. His group also develops and implements imaging strategies to improve epilepsy outcomes.

In addition, Dr. Gaillard, an active participant in AES activities, has served as treasurer and as chair of the Clinical Investigator Workshop and Pediatric Content Committees. He also serves as an associate editor for the journal Epilepsy Research, and as a regular reviewer on AES and Epilepsy Foundation study sections.

As division chief of Child Neurology, Epilepsy and Neurophysiology, Dr. Gaillard directs a team of pediatric specialists who see thousands of patients each year. Dr. Gaillard has worked throughout his career to care for children and young adults with epilepsy from the onset of seizures through novel therapeutic interventions, medication trials and, when appropriate, surgery. Treatment options at Children’s National addresses the full range of the condition, including problems of difficult-to-control epilepsy. Additionally, treatment includes the concurrent social, education and emotional issues faced by children with the condition and their families.

His academic appointments include Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at George Washington University, Professor of Neurology at Georgetown University, and Professor (adjunct), Hearing and Speech, University of Maryland, College Park.

4th International Symposium on hypothalamic hamartomas

Children’s National co-hosts the 4th International Symposium on hypothalamic hamartomas

The Children’s National Hospital’s Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Program co-hosted the 4th International Symposium on Hypothalamic Hamartomas held in September 2019 in Washington, D.C.

The 2019 Symposium focused on the psychiatric, neuropsychological, neurological and endocrinological comorbidities of Hypothalamic Hamartomas (HH). The participants also looked at treating the whole person – in addition to the tumor – covering the cognitive, physical, emotional and intellectual impacts of HH.

4th International Symposium on hypothalamic hamartomas

Attendees at the 4th International Symposium on Hypothalamic Hamartomas.

Presenters at the Symposium included experts from around the world, such as Children’s National’s Chief of the Divisions of Child Neurology and of Epilepsy and Neurophysiology,, William D. Gaillard, M.D., who moderated the entire event and served as the HH Symposium Chair on the Symposium Steering Committee.  Dr. Gaillard also facilitated a presentation titled “Developing a New Paradigm for Assessing, Surveilling, & Treating HH Comorbidities” and another presentation titled, “Set 3 Year Research Roadmap & Top Priorities.”

Senior Vice President for the Center for Neuroscience & Behavioral Health, Roger Packer, M.D., also presented at the event on treatments being used in other hypothalamic hamartoma syndromes which may possibly have opportunities for success with treatment of HH.

Jake and Dr. Oluigbo

Doctors at Children’s National give Jake his life back

Jake and Dr. Oluigbo

At the age of 17, Jake underwent surgery led by neurosurgeon Chima Oluigbo, M.D., where he conducted a temporal lobe resection, also called temporal lobectomy, that works to lower the number of seizures, make them less severe or stop them completely. The surgery ended up being successful and it worked to greatly improve his overall quality of life.

Since 1969, November has been considered Epilepsy Awareness Month to highlight the importance of recognizing a seizure and promoting seizure first aid. At Children’s National Hospital, doctors in the division of neurology are committed to finding treatments for epilepsy and have done just that by helping Jacob Yates, an 18-year-old patient, get his life back.

For many families the holidays are meant for spending time with loved ones and enjoying the seasonal festivities. However, the holidays were not always a joyous occasion for Jake and his family. Since he was a baby, many of his holidays were spent in a bed due to a brain disorder that caused him to have developmental delays and, at times, up to 17 seizures a day.

“The holidays were always a tough time for the family because Jake would get so excited around Christmas that it would overwhelm his system and induce seizures that took him days to recover from,” says his mom, Jennifer.

Jake was born a preemie and hours after he was born, doctors at his local hospital had identified that he was having trouble breathing. By coincidence, the Children’s National transport team was on-site to take another patient to Children’s National, but once they looked at Jake they immediately took him instead by SkyBear Air Transport, the hospital’s rapid helicopter transport service.

During his stay at Children’s National, Jake was in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for 11 days and was supported by breathing machines to help with respiratory distress and other issues stemming from him being born prematurely.

“If it wasn’t for the Children’s National transport team coincidentally being at our local hospital, Jake wouldn’t have survived staying at that location,” said Jennifer.

After he was taken care of at Children’s National, he was discharged 11 days later, but at the age of three months Jake was still experiencing respiratory issues and was taken back to his local hospital in Charles County.

“When he first arrived back at the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, the doctors thought he may have had cystic fibrosis, but it came back that perhaps he was suffering from reflux and they put him on medication,” Jennifer recalls. Unfortunately, this was not the cause and it would not be the family’s last visit to the hospital.

By the age of six months, Jake had his first seizure and he was flown back to Children’s National. Over the next year he was repeatedly admitted to the hospital as his seizures had caused him to stop breathing.

Between the ages of 4 to 6 years old, Jake became a patient of William D. Gaillard, M.D., division chief of epilepsy and neurophysiology and Roger Packer, M.D., senior vice president at the Center of Neuroscience and Behavioral Health at Children’s National. After his visit, both doctors recommended surgery, but Dr. Packer recommended that Jake receive an electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and go through a sleep study first to identify the specific causes of his seizures.

Now on a new medication, his seizures were maintained for the most part, but doctors were still recommending that it was time for surgery. When Jake was 15, his parents re-evaluated the surgery and learned that their son had a 76% chance of being seizure and medication free.

At the age of 17, Jake underwent surgery led by Chima Oluigbo, M.D., neurosurgeon at Children’s National, where he conducted a temporal lobe resection, also called temporal lobectomy, that works to lower the number of seizures, make them less severe or stop them completely. The surgery ended up being successful and it worked to greatly improve his overall quality of life.

Before the surgery, Jake didn’t speak much, experienced anxiety and had difficulty expressing his emotions. He had never told his mother that he loved her. After the surgery, Jake looked at his mother and said, “I love you babe.”

According to Jennifer, since the surgery her son is a completely different person and states that he has been seizure free for over a year. Equally, Jake and the family can now all look forward to the holidays.

“We’re so excited to have him share the holidays,” Jennifer says. “He feels better and it shows through his attitude and the way he responds to things. Words can’t express the gratitude we have for the doctors at Children’s National Hospital. They gave my son his life back.”