Department of Neurology

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Comprehensive Epilepsy Program

* (Neurosurgery Epilepsy Physician Profile)

Selim Benbadis

Selim Benbadis, MD

Division Director, Epilepsy, Eeg, & Sleep Medicine

Professor, Department of Neurology

Epilepsy, Eeg, & Sleep Medicine

Contact Info

Education

  • MD, University of Nice, 1984

Research Interests

  • Epilepsy.
  • Intractable seizures.
  • EEG-video monitoring.
  • Errors in diagnosis of seizures.
  • Pseudoseizures, psychogenic seizures, nonepileptic seizures
  • EEG intrepretation.
  • Errors in EEG interpretations.

Memberships

  • Clinical Neurophysiology (American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology, 1999 - Present)
  • Clinical Neurophysiology - Added Qualification (American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, 1994 - Present)
  • Neurology (American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, 1993 - Present)

Recent Publications

  • Benbadis SR, Sutton R. Psychogenic symptoms are not only for the epileptologist: All physicians be aware! Neurology. 85(23) : 2000-1, 2015.
  • Vivas AC, Reitano CJ, Waseem H, Benbadis SR, Vale FL. An analysis of quality of life (QOL) in patients with epilepsy and comorbid psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) after vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 73: 208-213, 2017.
  • Benbadis SR, Thomas P. When EEG is bad for you. Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. 128(4) : 656-657, 2017.
  • Gierbolini J, Giarratano M, Benbadis SR. Carbamazepine-related antiepileptic drugs for the treatment of epilepsy - a comparative review. Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy. 17(7) : 885-8, 2016.
  • Gangadhara S, Pizarro-Otero J, Bozorg A, Benbadis S. The Significance of REM Sleep on Routine EEG. The Neurodiagnostic journal. 56(1) : 37-40, 2016.
  • Fisher RS, Afra P, Macken M, Minecan DN, Bagić A, Benbadis SR, Helmers SL, Sinha SR, Slater J, Treiman D, Begnaud J, Raman P, Najimipour B. Automatic Vagus Nerve Stimulation Triggered by Ictal Tachycardia: Clinical Outcomes and Device Performance-The U.S. E-37 Trial. Neuromodulation: Journal of the International Neuromodulation Society. , 2015.
  • Soble JR, Osborn KE, Mattingly ML, Vale FL, Benbadis SR, Rodgers-Neame NT, Schoenberg MR. Utility of Green''s Word Memory Test Free Recall Subtest as a Measure of Verbal Memory: Initial Evidence from a Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Clinical Sample. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology: The Official Journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists. , 2015.
  • Waseem H, Osborn KE, Schoenberg MR, Kelley V, Bozorg A, Cabello D, Benbadis SR, Vale FL. Laser ablation therapy: An alternative treatment for medically resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy after age 50. Epilepsy & Behavior: E&B. 51: 152-7, 2015.
  • Vale FL, Vivas AC, Manwaring J, Schoenberg MR, Benbadis SR. Temporal lobe epilepsy and cavernous malformations: surgical strategies and long-term outcomes. Acta Neurochirurgica. 157(11) : 1887-95, 2015.
  • Waseem H, Osborn KE, Schoenberg MR, Kelley V, Bozorg AM, Benbadis SR, Vale FL. Predictors of surgical outcome in medically-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy with bilateral features on pre-operative evaluation. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery. 139: 199-205, 2015.
  • Lau T, Miller T, Klein T, Benbadis SR, Vale FL. Temporal lobe surgery in medically refractory epilepsy: A comparison between populations based on MRI findings. Seizure: The Journal of the British Epilepsy Association. 23(1) : 20-4, 2014.
  • Wheless JW, Isojarvi J, Lee D, Drummond R, Benbadis SR. Clobazam is efficacious for patients across the spectrum of disease severity of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: Post hoc analyses of clinical trial results by baseline seizure-frequency quartiles and VNS experience Epilepsy Behavior. 2: 47-52, 2014.
  • Eichstaedt KE, Clifton WE, Vale FL, Benbadis SR, Bozorg AM, Rodgers-Neame NT, Schoenberg MR. Sensitivity of Green''s Word Memory Test genuine memory impairment profile to temporal pathology: a study in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Clinical Neuropsychology. 28(6) : 941-53, 2014.
  • Waseem H, Raffa SJ, Benbadis SR, Vale FR. Lead revision surgery for vagus nerve stimulation in epilepsy: outcomes and efficacy. Epilepsy Behavior. : 110-3, 2014.
  • Vale FL, Pollock G, Dionisio J, Benbadis SR, Tatum WO. Outcome and complications of chronically implanted subdural electrodes for the treatment of medically resistant epilepsy. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery. 115(7) : 985-90, 2013.
  • Park MS, Nakagawa E, Schoenberg MR, Benbadis SR, Vale FL. Outcome of corpus callosotomy in adults. Epilepsy & Behavior: E&B. 28(2) : 181-4, 2013.
  • Balestrini S, Provinciali L, Benbadis SR. Burden of uncontrolled epilepsy in patients requiring an emergency room visit or hospitalization. Neurology. 80(23) : 2170, 2013.
  • Benbadis SR. Nonepileptic behavioral disorders: diagnosis and treatment. Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.). 19(3 Epilepsy) : 715-29, 2013.
  • Halford JJ, Schalkoff RJ, Zhou J, Benbadis SR, Tatum WO, Turner RP, Sinha SR, Fountain NB, Arain A, Pritchard PB, Kutluay E, Martz G, Edwards JC, Waters C, Dean BC. Standardized database development for EEG epileptiform transient detection: EEGnet scoring system and machine learning analysis. Journal of Neuroscience Methods. 212(2) : 308-16, 2013.
  • Kaplan PW, Benbadis SR. How to write an EEG report: dos and don''ts. Neurology. 80(1 Suppl 1) : S43-6, 2013.
  • Benbadis SR. "Just like EKGs!" Should EEGs undergo a confirmatory interpretation by a clinical neurophysiologist? Neurology. 80(1 Suppl 1) : S47-51, 2013.
  • Vale FL, Pollock G, Benbadis SR. Failed epilepsy surgery for mesial temporal lobe sclerosis: a review of the pathophysiology. Neurosurgery Focus. 32(3) : E9, 2012.
  • Vivas AC, Baaj AA, Benbadis SR, Vale FL. The health care burden of patients with epilepsy in the United States: an analysis of a nationwide database over 15 years. Neurosurgery Focus. 32(3) : E1, 2012.
  • Luders HO, Amina S, Baumgartnet C, Benbadis C, et al. Modern technology calls for a modern approach to classification of epileptic seizures and the epilepsies. Epilepsia. 53(3) : 405-11, 2012.
  • Vale FL, Effio E, Arredondo N, Bozorg A, Wong K, Martinez C, Downes K, Tatum WO, Benbadis SR. Efficacy of temporal lobe surgery for epilepsy in patients with negative MRI for mesial temporal lobe sclerosis. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience: Official Journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia. 19(1) : 101-6, 2012.
  • Standley K, Abdulmassih R, Benbadis S. Good outcome is possible after months of refractory convulsive status epilepticus: lesson learned. Epilepsia. 53(1) : e17-20, 2012.
  • Hernandez-Frau PE, Benbadis SR. Pearls & oy-sters: errors in EEG interpretations: what is misinterpreted besides temporal sharp transients? Neurology. 76(12) : e57-9, 2011.
  • Brown RJ, Syed TU, Benbadis S, LaFrance WC, Reuber M. Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior: E&B. 22(1) : 85-93, 2011.
  • Schoenberg MR, Frontera AT, Bozorg A, Hernandez-Frau P, Vale F, Benbadis SR. An update on epilepsy. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. 11(5) : 639-45, 2011.
  • Benbadis SR. Teaching Video NeuroImages: complex partial seizure evolving into a psychogenic nonepileptic seizure. Neurology. 76(19) : 1681; author reply 1681, 2011.
  • LaFrance WC, Benbadis SR. Differentiating frontal lobe epilepsy from psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Neurologic Clinics. 29(1) : 149-62, ix, 2011.
  • Vale FL, Ahmadian A, Youssef AS, Tatum WO, Benbadis SR. Long-term outcome of vagus nerve stimulation therapy after failed epilepsy surgery. Seizure: The Journal of the British Epilepsy Association. 20(3) : 244-8, 2011.
  • Halford JJ, Pressly WB, Benbadis SR, Tatum WO, Turner RP, Arain A, Pritchard PB, Edwards JC, Dean BC. Web-based collection of expert opinion on routine scalp EEG: software development and interrater reliability. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology: Official Publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society. 28(2) : 178-84, 2011.
  • Chung S, Ben-Menachem E, Sperling MR, Rosenfeld W, Fountain NB, Benbadis S, Hebert D, Isojärvi J, Doty P. Examining the clinical utility of lacosamide: pooled analyses of three phase II/III clinical trials. CNS Drugs. 24(12) : 1041-54, 2010.
  • Benbadis SR, Faught RE, Hirsch L, Sperling M, Slater J, Sirven J. Open letter (and invitation) to the pharmaceutical industry: "no, we cannot just present your slide deck &". Epilepsy & Behavior: E&B. 19(3) : 544-5, 2010.
  • Winesett SP, Benbadis SR. The effect of surgery on the postictal state. Epilepsy & Behavior: E&B. 19(2) : 186-7, 2010.
  • Benbadis SR, Chen S, Melo M. What''s shaking in the ICU? The differential diagnosis of seizures in the intensive care setting. Epilepsia. 51(11) : 2338-40, 2010.
  • Muniz J, Benbadis SR. Repeating video/EEG monitoring: why and with what results? Epilepsy & Behavior: E&B. 18(4) : 472-3, 2010.
  • Benbadis SR. Psychogenic nonepileptic "seizures" or "attacks"? It''s not just semantics: attacks. Neurology. 75(1) : 84-6, 2010.
  • Tatum WO, Ho S, Benbadis SR. Polyspike ictal onset absence seizures. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology: Official Publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society. 27(2) : 93-9, 2010.
  • Bozorg AM, Lacayo JC, Benbadis SR. The yield of routine outpatient electroencephalograms in the veteran population. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology: Official Publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society. 27(3) : 191-2, 2010.
  • Benbadis SR. The tragedy of over-read EEGs and wrong diagnoses of epilepsy. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. 10(3) : 343, 2010.
  • Benbadis SR. Provocative techniques should be used for the diagnosis of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 15(2) : 106-9; discussion 115-8, 2009.
  • Lin K, Benbadis SR. Death and epilepsy. Expert review of neurotherapeutics. 9(6) : 781-3, 2009.
  • Benbadis SR. Hypergraphia and the diagnosis of psychogenic attacks. Neurology. 67(5) : 904, 2006.
  • Bozorg AM, Benbadis SR. Essential oils as a cause of breakthrough seizure after temporal lobectomy. Seizure : the journal of the British Epilepsy Association. 18(8) : 604-5, 2009.
  • Lulic D, Ahmadian A, Baaj AA, Benbadis SR, Vale FL. Vagus nerve stimulation. Neurosurgical focus. 27(3) : E5, 2009.
  • Rosenfeld WE, Benbadis S, Edrich P, Tassinari CA, Hirsch E. Levetiracetam as add-on therapy for idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndromes with onset during adolescence: analysis of two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. Epilepsy research. 85(1) : 72-80, 2009.
  • Ramos E, Benbadis S, Vale FL. Failure of temporal lobe resection for epilepsy in patients with mesial temporal sclerosis: results and treatment options. Journal of neurosurgery. 110(6) : 1127-34, 2009.
  • Benbadis S, Vale F, Dubeau F, Duchowny M. Huh? Hemispherectomy in adults?: an exercise in risk-benefit analysis. Epileptic disorders : international epilepsy journal with videotape. 11(3) : 258-9, 2009.
  • Benbadis SR. Use and abuse of stat EEG. American journal of electroneurodiagnostic technology. 49(1) : 87-93, 2009.
  • Baaj AA, Benbadis SR, Tatum WO, Vale FL. Trends in the use of vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy: analysis of a nationwide database. Neurosurgical focus. 25(3) : E10, 2008.
  • Benbadis SR, Lin K. Errors in EEG interpretation and misdiagnosis of epilepsy. Which EEG patterns are overread? European neurology. 59(5) : 267-71, 2008.
  • Tatum WO, Benbadis SR, Hussain A, Al-Saadi S, Kaminski B, Heriaud LS, Vale FL. Ictal EEG remains the prominent predictor of seizure-free outcome after temporal lobectomy in epileptic patients with normal brain MRI. Seizure : the journal of the British Epilepsy Association. 17(7) : 631-6, 2008.
  • Benbadis SR. Use and abuse of stat EEG. Expert review of neurotherapeutics. 8(6) : 865-8, 2008.
  • Acosta I, Vale F, Tatum WO, Benbadis SR. Epilepsy surgery after age 60. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 12(2) : 324-5, 2008.
  • Haber AH, Vassallo JL, Tatum WO, Benbadis SR. Repeated intracarotid amobarbital tests. Epilepsia. 48(9) : 1815-6; author reply 1816-7, 2007.
  • Benbadis SR. Misdiagnosis of epilepsy due to errors in EEG interpretation. Practical neurology. 7(5) : 323-5, 2007.
  • Varela HL, Taylor DS, Benbadis SR. Short-term outpatient EEG-video monitoring with induction in a veterans administration population. Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society. 24(5) : 390-1, 2007.
  • Benbadis SR, Liu L. CPAP: a treatment for epilepsy? Neurology. 69(19) : 1814-5, 2007.
  • Kulkarni VP, Lin K, Benbadis SR. EEG findings in the persistent vegetative state. Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society. 24(6) : 433-7, 2007.
  • Benbadis SR. Errors in EEGs and the misdiagnosis of epilepsy: importance, causes, consequences, and proposed remedies. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 11(3) : 257-62, 2007.
  • Korabathina K, Benbadis SR. Levetiracetam is as effective as carbamazepine in newly diagnosed epilepsy. Expert review of neurotherapeutics. 7(6) : 599-601, 2007.
  • Benbadis SR. The EEG in nonepileptic seizures. Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society. 23(4) : 340-52, 2006.
  • Tatum WO, Husain AM, Benbadis SR, Kaplan PW. Normal adult EEG and patterns of uncertain significance. Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society. 23(3) : 194-207, 2006.
  • Benbadis SR, Chichkova R. Psychogenic pseudosyncope: an underestimated and provable diagnosis. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 9(1) : 106-10, 2006.
  • Behrouz R, Heriaud L, Benbadis SR. Late-onset psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 8(3) : 649-50, 2006.
  • Benbadis SR. A spell in the epilepsy clinic and a history of "chronic pain" or "fibromyalgia" independently predict a diagnosis of psychogenic seizures. Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 6(2) : 264-5, 2005.
  • Benbadis SR. Practical management issues for idiopathic generalized epilepsies. Epilepsia. 46 Suppl 9: 125-32, 2005.
  • Benbadis SR. The problem of psychogenic symptoms: is the psychiatric community in denial? Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 6(1) : 9-14, 2005.
  • Benbadis SR, O''Neill E, Tatum WO, Heriaud L. Outcome of prolonged video-EEG monitoring at a typical referral epilepsy center. Epilepsia. 45(9) : 1150-3, 2004.
  • LaFrance WC, Benbadis SR. Avoiding the costs of unrecognized psychological nonepileptic seizures. Neurology. 66(11) : 1620-1, 2006.
  • Benbadis SR, Chang S, Hunter J, Wang W. The influence of the full moon on seizure frequency: myth or reality? Epilepsy & behavior : E&B. 5(4) : 596-7, 2004.
  • Benbadis SR. The value of tongue laceration in the diagnosis of blackouts. American family physician. 70(9) : 1757-8, 2004.
  • Benbadis SR, Heriaud L, Tatum WO, Vale FL. Epilepsy surgery, delays and referral patterns-are all your epilepsy patients controlled? Seizure : the journal of the British Epilepsy Association. 12(3) : 167-70, 2003.
  • Benbadis SR, Tatum WO, Gieron M. Idiopathic generalized epilepsy and choice of antiepileptic drugs. Neurology. 61(12) : 1793-5, 2003.
  • Benbadis SR, Tatum WO. Overintepretation of EEGs and misdiagnosis of epilepsy. Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society. 20(1) : 42-4, 2003.
  • Benbadis SR, Herrera M, Orazi U. Does the neurologist contribute to the care of patients with chronic back pain? European neurology. 48(2) : 61-4, 2002.
  • Benbadis SR, Wallace J, Reed Murtagh F. MRI evidence of mesial temporal sclerosis in subjects without seizures. Seizure : the journal of the British Epilepsy Association. 11(5) : 340-3, 2002.
  • Totah AR, Benbadis SR. Gelastic syncope mistaken for cataplexy. Sleep medicine. 3(1) : 77-8, 2002.