For people with epilepsy and their loved ones, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is “a ticking time bomb that creates anxiety and fear,” says University of Iowa neurosurgeon Brian Dlouhy, MD.

The specialized neurosurgical expertise of University of Iowa physician-scientists and the generous contributions of UI Health Care neurosurgery patients who volunteer to participate in research were instrumental to new findings that reveal the sequence of brain activity involved when people evaluate risk and reward during decision-making.