Diagnosis, care are key to managing serious, underreported neurological condition
June 3, 2026
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Epilepsy specialists believe that fewer than 10 percent of the estimated 20,000-to-25,000 patients in the region who have epilepsy are currently being treated – a gap they say leads to delayed diagnoses, preventable injuries, and even death.
According to WVU Medicine experts, epilepsy cases are critically underreported across West Virginia and the broader Appalachian region, potentially leaving many people without the treatment they need.
Andy Ho Wing Chan, M.D., an epileptologist at the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI), is working to change that. Dr. Chan is part of a skilled RNI multidisciplinary team, comprised of epileptologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, and neurologists, that takes a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating epilepsy across all ages.
“Imagine your brain is your house,” Chan said. “It runs on electricity for your different appliances. Our brain and body are actually connected via electricity, as well.”
Chan explained that with epilepsy, the brain’s wiring can misfire, causing different behavior changes and possible loss of consciousness.
“That’s why some patients may not even know that they have seizures,” he said.
Seizures do not always involve full-body convulsions; they can present as staring spells, word-finding difficulties, feelings of déjà vu, unexplained fear, or brief changes in awareness. If the person having the seizure loses consciousness, they may have no memory of the event.
“Epilepsy has been mystified and misclassified, and a lot of people have misconceptions about epilepsy and seizures,” Chan said. “That’s where I see the major barriers for us to reach the public, patients, and their families.”
Chan emphasized that it is never too late to seek help; patients who have lived with epilepsy for decades can still benefit from evaluation and treatment.
Both the adult and pediatric epilepsy programs at WVU Medicine hold Level 4 designations – the highest classification available – offering the full spectrum of care from dietary therapy and anti-seizure medications to surgical evaluation and advanced neurostimulation devices.
The team is also expanding telemedicine and phone-based services to reach patients in rural areas where internet access or long travel distances create barriers to care.
“Some of my patients have had 20, 30, even 40 years of epilepsy,” Chan said. “We still find a way to help them and improve their quality of life. It’s never too late.”
Chan advised that people who suspect a loved one may be having seizures watch for any unusual episode that repeats in the same pattern, and when in doubt, seek evaluation.
For more information and insights from Dr. Chan, listen to the latest episode of Live Healthy West Virginia, “Epilepsy: Closing the Treatment Gap in Appalachia,” available on WVU Medicine’s YouTube channel and Spotify.
To learn about epilepsy care, research, and services at the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/RNI.
