Pharmaceutical Reviews (Associate Editor) The most frequent form of epileptic seizures, called focal seizures, take place when nerve cells in a specific area of the brain send out an abrupt, uncontrolled burst of electrical signals. This uncontrolled activity can cause strange behavior, moments of loss of awareness, and mood swings in addition to seizures. Although there are many treatments for controlling or reducing seizures, roughly one-third of patients still experience seizures, and some treatments may have serious adverse effects, according to specialists. According to a recent clinical trial led by experts at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, patients who added XEN1101 to their existing antiseizure medications had a 33% to 53% reduction in monthly seizures, depending on their dose. The eight-week treatment portion of the research saw an average 18% decrease in seizures in those who received a placebo. The majority of patients then agreed to continue the experiment, with the new medication helping around 18% of patients remain completely seizure-free after six months and about 11% of patients remain seizure-free after a year or longer.