Epilepsia. Official Journal of the International League Against Epilepsy

Abstract

Objective

To report a retrospective, single-center experience with a novel deep brain stimulation (DBS) device capable of chronic local field potential (LFP) recording in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and explore potential electrophysiological biomarkers that may aid DBS programming and outcome tracking.

Methods

Five patients with DRE underwent thalamic DBS, targeting either the bilateral anterior (ANT; n=3) or centromedian (CM; n=2) nuclei. Post-operative electrode lead localizations were visualized in Lead-DBS software. Local field potentials recorded over 12-18 months were tracked and changes in power were ...

Abstract

Objective

Neurosurgery is a safe and effective form of treatment for select children with drug-resistant epilepsy. Still, there is concern that it remains underutilized, and that seizure freedom rates have not improved over time. We investigated referral and surgical practices, patient characteristics, and postoperative outcomes over the past two decades.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of children referred for epilepsy surgery at a tertiary center between 2000 and 2018. We extracted information from medical records and analyzed temporal trends using regression ...

Abstract

Febrile seizures affect 2-5% of U.S. children and are considered benign although associated with an increased risk of epilepsy and rarely, sudden unexplained death. We compared rates of mortality, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neuropathology in young children with simple and complex febrile seizures to healthy controls.

We systematically reviewed studies of 3–72-month-old children with simple or complex febrile seizures < 30 minutes. We searched studies with outcome measures on mortality, neurodevelopment, or neuropathology through July 18, 2022. Bias risk was assessed per study ...

Abstract

Seizures beget seizures is a long-standing theory that proposed that seizure activity can impact on the structural and functional properties of the brain circuits in ways that contribute to epilepsy progression and the future occurrence of seizures. Originally proposed by Gowers, this theory continues to be quoted in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. We critically review the existing data and observations on the consequences of recurrent seizures on brain networks and highlight a range of factors that speak for and against ...

Abstract

Objective

The cognitive profile of juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE) remains largely uncharacterized. This study aimed to: (i) elucidate the neuropsychological profile of JAE; (ii) identify familial cognitive traits, by investigating unaffected JAE siblings; (iii) establish the clinical meaningfulness of JAE-associated cognitive traits; (iv) determine whether cognitive traits across the idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) spectrum are shared or syndrome-specific, by comparing JAE to juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME); and (v) identify relationships between cognitive abilities and clinical characteristics.

Methods

We investigated 123 participants: 23 patients ...

Abstract

Objective

Historically, approximately half of those with newly diagnosed epilepsy have responded to and tolerated the first antiseizure medication (ASM), but there are few contemporary real-world data. Third-generation ASMs have improved tolerability and are increasingly used according to prescription data. We aimed to describe current ASM selection and retention in adult onset focal epilepsy in western Sweden.

Methods

A multicenter retrospective cohort study was performed at five public neurology care providers in western Sweden (nearly complete coverage in the area). We reviewed 2607 ...

Abstract

Objective

Despite widespread monotherapy use of lamotrigine or levetiracetam during pregnancy, prospectively collected, blinded child development data are still limited. The NaME (Neurodevelopment of Babies Born to Mothers With Epilepsy) Study prospectively recruited a new cohort of women with epilepsy and their offspring for longitudinal follow-up.

Methods

Pregnant women of <21 weeks gestation (n = 401) were recruited from 21 hospitals in the UK. Data collection occurred during pregnancy (recruitment, trimester 3) and at 12 and 24 months of age. The primary outcome was blinded assessment of ...

Abstract

Objective

Higher levels of biochemical blood markers of brain injury have been described immediately after tonic–clonic seizures and in drug-resistant epilepsy, but the levels of such markers in epilepsy in general have not been well characterized. We analyzed neurofilament light (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and tau in a regional hospital-based epilepsy cohort and investigated what proportion of patients have levels suggesting brain injury, and whether certain epilepsy features are associated with high levels.

Methods

Biomarker levels were measured in 204 patients ...