Carrick Frederick Robert, Daniels Pamela, Pelletier Stephen, Prysmakova Sofia, Hankir Ahmed, Abdulrahman Mahera, Al-Rumaihi Nouf
College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA.
Centre for Mental Health Research in Association with University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK.
J Pers Med. 2025 Aug 18;15(8):385. doi: 10.3390/jpm15080385.
Epilepsy is a complex and ancient neurological disorder affecting approximately 50 million individuals globally. Despite significant advancements in pharmacological treatments, surgical procedures, and neurostimulation techniques, a substantial subset of patients remains pharmacoresistant or experiences intolerable side effects, highlighting the need for novel, safe, and effective interventions. In this review, we examine a promising non-invasive technique known as the Exchange Breathing Method (EBM), developed through the observations of Gemma Herbertson, a British mother who discovered that exhaling gently into her son's nostrils could consistently interrupt ongoing seizures. The EBM has since gained anecdotal support from a growing international community reporting similar positive outcomes. This paper situates the EBM within the broader historical and clinical context of epilepsy treatment, tracing its evolution from ancient practices to modern therapeutic strategies. We explore the neurophysiological mechanisms that may underlie the EBM, particularly its interaction with autonomic and respiratory pathways implicated in seizure modulation. By integrating emerging grassroots data with current scientific knowledge, this review proposes a rationale for further empirical investigation into the EBM and its potential role in the personalized, emergency management of epilepsy.
癫痫是一种复杂且古老的神经系统疾病，全球约有5000万人受其影响。尽管在药物治疗、外科手术和神经刺激技术方面取得了重大进展，但仍有相当一部分患者对药物耐药或出现无法耐受的副作用，这凸显了对新型、安全且有效的干预措施的需求。在这篇综述中，我们考察了一种名为交换呼吸法（EBM）的有前景的非侵入性技术，该技术是通过英国母亲杰玛·赫伯森的观察而开发的，她发现轻轻向儿子的鼻孔呼气可以持续中断正在发作的癫痫。此后，EBM得到了越来越多国际人士的轶事支持，他们报告了类似的积极结果。本文将EBM置于癫痫治疗更广泛的历史和临床背景中，追溯其从古代疗法到现代治疗策略的演变。我们探究了可能是EBM基础的神经生理机制，尤其是其与参与癫痫发作调节的自主神经和呼吸通路的相互作用。通过将新出现的基层数据与当前科学知识相结合，本综述为进一步对EBM及其在癫痫个性化紧急管理中的潜在作用进行实证研究提出了理论依据。
