A groundbreaking clinical trial, spearheaded by researchers at FutureNeuro and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is poised to revolutionize how epilepsy is diagnosed and managed. This cutting-edge study focuses on the application of advanced brain monitoring technology to overcome the substantial limitations inherent in traditional epilepsy diagnostics. Leading the Irish contingent are Professor Norman Delanty of RCSI and Beaumont Hospital and Dr. Daniel Costello from Cork University Hospital, both distinguished consultant neurologists working in two of the nation’s busiest neurology departments. Their collaboration expands across multiple European centers, with Irish patients accounting for more than half of all participants enrolled in the trial.
Epilepsy diagnosis and management today face significant hurdles, with the mainstay tools being short-term electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings and patient-maintained seizure diaries. Typically, EEGs are limited to about thirty minutes of recording time, insufficient for capturing infrequent or nocturnal seizures. Moreover, seizure diaries rely on patient observation and reporting, which can be unreliable and incomplete. Epilepsy Monitoring Units (EMUs) offer extended video-EEG monitoring inpatient services, considered the gold standard for epilepsy diagnosis. However, their operation demands extensive hospital resources, including specialized staff, and in Ireland, access is restricted to just six dedicated beds. This scarcity leads to prolonged hospital stays, often spanning up to eight days, causing delays in treatment and increased healthcare burdens.
This clinical trial introduces a novel approach by integrating subcutaneous EEG (sqEEG) technology developed by UNEEG Medical A/S, a Danish medical technology innovator. The UNEEG EpiSight system, designed for long-term implantation under the skin, enables continuous brain activity monitoring in ambulatory settings for durations extending up to three years. This transformative technology wirelessly transmits EEG data collected around the clock, including during sleep, to clinicians, facilitating comprehensive real-world monitoring. Its design as a complementary tool seeks to integrate seamlessly into existing epilepsy care frameworks, enhancing clinical decision-making without necessitating prolonged hospital admissions.
The implantation procedure for the UNEEG EpiSight sqEEG device involves a minimally invasive outpatient surgery, performed by skilled consultant neurosurgeons including Mr. Kieron Sweeney at Beaumont and Beacon Hospitals, and Mr. Wail Mohammad at Cork University Hospital. This streamlined intervention underscores the practicality and patient-friendliness of the system, distinguishing it from traditional inpatient monitoring methodologies that require extended stays. By capturing electrical signals from the brain continuously, this subcutaneous device offers the potential to uncover seizure activity and brain abnormalities that often elude brief EEG recordings and patient self-reporting.
This initiative builds on pioneering research led by Professor Norman Delanty, whose earlier study employed a previous generation of the UNEEG technology. Published recently in the authoritative journal Epilepsia, the study demonstrated remarkable diagnostic accuracy, with the device reliably detecting all recorded seizures and identifying 90% of significant brain abnormalities in individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy. Achieving such detailed long-term monitoring data has, until now, been feasible only through admission to resource-heavy EMUs. This trial aims to establish whether the next-generation system can replicate or exceed these clinical insights in an outpatient setting.
The potential impact of long-term, wireless sqEEG monitoring extends beyond diagnosis. By providing continuous data over months or years, clinicians can observe seizure patterns with unprecedented granularity, including those that occur exclusively during sleep or with low frequency. This continuous stream of objective information supports timely and accurate diagnoses, enabling clinicians to refine treatment strategies, adjust medications, and anticipate seizure onset with greater precision. Importantly, this could reduce dependency on repeated hospital visits and EMU admissions, significantly easing strain on healthcare systems.
Professor Delanty emphasizes the transformative potential of such innovations, noting that FutureNeuro’s involvement signals a profound commitment to integrating technological advances safely into clinical practice. The trial’s outcomes promise to refine the diagnostic journey, potentially shortening time to accurate epilepsy diagnosis and mitigating unnecessary interventions. Enhanced diagnostic accuracy achieved through long-term brain monitoring can lead to more personalized, effective care plans, improving patient outcomes while optimizing healthcare resources.
Dr. Daniel Costello highlights the clinical advantages of this novel diagnostic tool, particularly its ability to detect seizures that remain clinically unrecognized. By establishing a clearer and more precise understanding of seizure frequency and cerebral impact, this technology not only informs therapeutic decisions but also provides reassurance when seizures are well-controlled. Furthermore, distinguishing epileptic seizures from other non-epileptic events has historically been challenging; long-term sqEEG monitoring offers a crucial step forward in resolving such diagnostic ambiguities.
Peter Murphy, the CEO of Epilepsy Ireland, underscores the remarkable opportunity presented by this trial. With Irish patients prominently represented, the study showcases the high-caliber epilepsy research underway in Ireland. Epilepsy’s highly individualized nature means that treatment optimization often involves a process of trial and error. The rich, continuous data supplied by the sqEEG device could drastically reduce this uncertainty, aiding clinicians in identifying the most effective treatment regimens sooner. By minimizing hospital stays and wait times, this approach holds promise to improve the quality of life for epilepsy patients and alleviate systemic healthcare pressures.
This clinical trial signifies a paradigm shift towards precision medicine within epilepsy care, where tailored treatment decisions are guided by extensive, reliable, and objective monitoring data rather than episodic and subjective assessments. The strong involvement of Irish research centers reflects FutureNeuro’s global leadership role in translating fundamental brain science discoveries into practical clinical innovations. As the trial progresses, its findings may redefine standards in epilepsy monitoring and treatment worldwide.
FutureNeuro’s interdisciplinary research, supported by significant exchequer funding and collaborative partnerships across eight Irish universities, remains at the forefront of developing advanced diagnostics, personalized therapies, and digital health technologies. The Centre’s focus on brain disorders such as epilepsy, Motor Neuron Disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Multiple Sclerosis, among others, embodies a comprehensive commitment to tackling neurological challenges from discovery through to clinical application. The collaboration with UNEEG Medical A/S within this trial exemplifies the fusion of cutting-edge science and technology aiming to transform patient care.
The EU-wide scope of the trial, combined with cutting-edge technology and strong Irish participation, positions this research as a beacon for innovation in neurological healthcare delivery. By capturing brain activity over ultra-long periods with minimal patient burden, this system marks a significant advancement in outpatient neurological diagnostics that could extend well beyond epilepsy. It embodies a vision for the future of clinical neuroscience—one where seamless, continuous, and nonintrusive monitoring empowers clinicians and patients alike.
As this trial unfolds, the medical community and patient advocates eagerly anticipate detailed results that could validate and expand the application of subcutaneous EEG for epilepsy and potentially other neurological disorders. The convergence of neuroscience, digital health, and bioengineering realized here underscores an exciting era where brain monitoring becomes less invasive, more precise, and accessible in patients’ daily lives, steering a course towards better, personalized neurological care.
Subject of Research: Advanced long-term brain monitoring for epilepsy diagnosis and management
Article Title: Unilateral ultra long-term subcutaneous EEG monitoring in drug-refractory idiopathic generalized epilepsy
News Publication Date: Thursday, 16 October 2025
Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/epi.18644
References: Delanty N, et al. (2025). Unilateral ultra long-term subcutaneous EEG monitoring in drug-refractory idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Epilepsia. DOI: 10.1111/epi.18644
Keywords: Epilepsy, Neurological disorders, Epileptogenesis, Neurology, Clinical neuroscience
Tags: advanced brain monitoring technologyclinical trial for epilepsyelectroencephalogram limitationsEpilepsy Monitoring UnitsFutureNeuro RCSI collaborationhealthcare challenges in epilepsyinnovative epilepsy diagnosisIrish epilepsy patient participationneurology research in Europepatient seizure diaries reliabilityrevolutionizing epilepsy managementseizure monitoring advancements
