Ifrah Zawar, MD
Ifrah Zawar, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology, was awarded a prestigious five-year K23 grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the interplay between seizures and dementia. K Awards are a vital funding source to support faculty as they grow in their research and serve as a launchpad for future funding opportunities.
Dementia is one of the leading causes of disability and death in older adults. Up to 64% of people with dementia may experience comorbid seizures. The presence of seizures is associated with faster cognitive decline and worse outcomes in dementia. The Zawar Lab studies how the two diseases interact, including neuro-imaging, genetics, and biofluid biomarkers.
Unfortunately, seizures are often under-recognized in the setting of dementia, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. However, no algorithms are available to identify people with dementia at high risk for epilepsy. In this groundbreaking investigation, Dr. Zawar will develop a risk stratification algorithm to identify people with dementia at high risk for epilepsy. The findings from this study are poised to fill a critical gap in the field of neurology. The findings from her study could change clinical practice and have the potential to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.
Filed Under: Research