Epilepsy Research最新文献

{"title":"The SEEG brain network predicts epileptic surgical outcomes of radiofrequency thermocoagulation","authors":"Jingxian Shen ,&nbsp;Hongping Tan ,&nbsp;Bocheng Wu ,&nbsp;Jiabin Luo ,&nbsp;Guangrui Yang ,&nbsp;Xuchu Weng ,&nbsp;Qiang Guo ,&nbsp;Jiuxing Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107715","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107715","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Predicting the postoperative outcome of stereoelectroencephalography-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (SEEG-guided RF-TC) remains challenging despite its increasing use in epilepsy treatment. Although SEEG-guided RF-TC has attracted extensive clinical interest, reliable biomarkers for treatment efficacy are still lacking. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing the altered brain network to predict postoperative outcome. Thirty-one focal cortical dysplasia epileptic patients who underwent RF-TC based on SEEG were enrolled in this study. They were included in the favorable outcome and poor outcome groups according to the follow-up. Partial Directed Coherence and Directed Transfer Function were applied to construct SEEG brain networks, and then brain network features were extracted. Subsequently, the differences in the presurgical and postsurgical brain network features were compared using the Wilcoxon test in the favorable and poor outcome groups, respectively. Finally, four machine learning models were applied to predict the outcome of RF-TC. After RF-TC surgery, the Characteristic Path Length (L) and average Betweenness Centrality (BC) increased while the average Clustering Coefficient (C) and Assortativity Coefficient (R1, R2) decreased in the favorable outcomes group. In contrast, there were no significant changes in the patient group with poor outcomes. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) model achieved the highest performance, with accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and ROC values of 0.887, 0.821, 0.920, and 0.879, respectively. This study sheds light on the mechanisms of epilepsy from the perspective of brain networks and introduces a novel therapeutic strategy by altering network features. These feature alterations can also support machine learning models in effectively distinguishing favorable from poor outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 107715"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145660225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time-dependent risk of stroke following epilepsy: A nationwide cohort study in South Korea","authors":"Seung Won Lee ,&nbsp;Yejin Lee ,&nbsp;Chaeyoon Kang ,&nbsp;Haerim Cho ,&nbsp;Nakyung Shin ,&nbsp;Sunhwa Kim ,&nbsp;Hohyun Jung ,&nbsp;Youngoh Bae","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107695","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107695","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Epilepsy(ICD-10 G40–G41) and stroke—including hemorrhagic stroke (HS: I60–I62) and ischemic stroke (IS: I63))—are major neurological disorders. Although epilepsy has been proposed as a risk factor for stroke, large-scale evidence from Asian populations and analyses of time-dependent risk remain limited. This study investigated long-term risks of HS and IS after epilepsy using a nationwide cohort in South Korea.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Korean National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort (2002–2013). Newly diagnosed epilepsy cases were identified after a 2-year washout and matched 1:10 with controls. Incident HS and IS were evaluated using crude incidence rates (IRs), incidence rate ratios (IRRs), Kaplan–Meier analyses, and 2-year interval time-stratified Cox models.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Over 10 years of follow-up, epilepsy was associated with increased risks of HS (IRR 3.50, 95 % CI 2.50–4.91) and IS (IRR 2.52, 95 % CI 2.16–2.95). Risk elevations were more pronounced in males and individuals &lt; 60 years. Time-dependent analyses revealed a biphasic pattern: HS risk peaked during the first 0–2 years (aHR 4.25, 95 % CI 2.68–6.74), while IS risk increased at 0–2 years (aHR 2.99, 95 % CI 2.41–3.71) and again at 6–8 years (aHR 3.00, 95 % CI 1.51–5.99).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Epilepsy was associated with substantial and time-varying risks of HS and IS. Although causal relationships cannot be confirmed, these findings highlight the need for vigilant early monitoring and sustained, individualized stroke prevention strategies in individuals with epilepsy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 107695"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145621588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The utility of ketogenic diet therapy in the management of epileptic spasms: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Gabriella Yakemow ,&nbsp;Stephanie Aleluya ,&nbsp;Rajesh Ramachandrannair ,&nbsp;Kevin C. Jones ,&nbsp;Jessie Cunningham ,&nbsp;Myanca Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Vann Chau ,&nbsp;Suvasini Sharma ,&nbsp;Puneet Jain ,&nbsp;Robyn Whitney","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>We systematically reviewed the existing literature on the efficacy of the ketogenic diet (KD) in patients with epileptic spasms (ES) and analyzed predictors of seizure outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The Preferred Report Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving 50–99 % spasm reduction at 3 months following KD initiation. Additional outcomes included the proportion of patients achieving complete spasm freedom at 1, 3, and 6 months. Meta-regression was employed to examine clinical determinants of seizure outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Twenty-two studies (n = 1077 individuals) were included. There were 607 males (62.2 %) and 369 females (37.8 %) (k = 16 studies). The mean age of KD initiation was 16 months (SD: 5.4, range: 8.4–23 months) (k = 11 studies). Epilepsy etiology was reported in 453 individuals (k = 15 studies), 297 (65.6 %) had a known etiology and 156 (34.4 %) were unknown. Structural (n = 178, 59.9 %) and genetic/metabolic (n = 80, 26.9 %) causes were common. Most received the classic ketogenic diet (n = 975/1077, 90.5 %) and 102 patients (9.5 %) received the modified Atkins diet (MAD). At 3 months, 48 % (95 % CI: 40 %, 57 %) achieved a 50–99 % spasm reduction and 25 % (95 % CI: 17 %, 34 %), achieved spasm freedom. At 6 months, 41 % (95 % CI: 32 %, 50 %) achieved 50–99 % spasm reduction and 25 % (95 % CI: 17 %,35 %), achieved spasm freedom. Meta-regression did not identify predictors of treatment response.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>KD may be an effective treatment option for ES. However, predictors of clinical response were not identified, highlighting the need for larger studies to better understand them and long-term outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 107694"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145548741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictors of surgical outcome in frontal lobe epilepsy: Experience from a single-center cohort in Latin America","authors":"Diana Margoth Riaño-Carreño ,&nbsp;Andrés Felipe Cardenas ,&nbsp;Jacobo Ramirez-Triana ,&nbsp;Carmela Fawcett Martínez ,&nbsp;Santiago Martínez Corredor ,&nbsp;Sergio Esteban Chacón ,&nbsp;Oscar Zorro Guio ,&nbsp;Juan Carlos Perez Poveda ,&nbsp;Daniel Nariño González","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107693","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107693","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) is the second most common type of focal epilepsy and among the most challenging to diagnose and treat. Although surgical resection offers potential seizure freedom, outcomes vary, and high-quality data from low- and middle-income countries are scarce. This study aimed to describe a cohort of patients with FLE undergoing epilepsy surgery and identify clinical, imaging, and pathological factors associated with favorable outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective observational study was conducted on 40 consecutive patients with drug-resistant FLE who underwent resective epilepsy surgery at a tertiary center in Bogotá, Colombia, between 2016 and 2024. Data on clinical features, neuroimaging, surgery, and histopathology were collected. Surgical outcomes were classified using the Engel Epilepsy Surgery Outcome Scale; Engel class I or II was considered favorable. Bivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of good outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Median age at surgery was 25.5 years (IQR: 14.8–34.8); 67.5 % were male and 92.5 % right-handed. Semiological group 1 (motor/premotor cortex) was most common (75 %). At median 29.7 months follow-up, 57.5 % achieved favorable outcomes. Astrogliosis was the only histopathological finding significantly associated with favorable outcomes among resective cases (p = 0.041). Trends toward better outcomes were seen in patients with standard resections (p = 0.053) and identifiable lesions, though not statistically significant.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Epilepsy surgery for FLE is feasible and safe in middle-income countries and can yield outcomes similar to global reports. These results underscore the importance of early referral, detailed semiological analysis, and lesion detection for surgical planning in drug-resistant FLE.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 107693"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145603189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High density probes reveal medullary seizure and rapid medullary shutdown in a model of fatal apnea in seizure","authors":"Ryan Budde ,&nbsp;Laura RoaFiore ,&nbsp;Pedro Irazoqui","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107642","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107642","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Objective: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is suggested to be a cardiorespiratory collapse that occurs shortly after a seizure. The impacts of seizure on medullary respiratory control remain poorly understood. Prior work in rats suggests that reflexive apneas are highly fatal during seizure but well tolerated otherwise. These reflexes share network connectivity in the medulla, particularly the caudal solitary nucleus (NTS) and ventral respiratory column (VRC), and possibly other intermediate structures. We sought to observe the activity in these regions in fatal ictal apneas. Methods: We collected data from urethane anesthetized long evans rats. To record neural activity we used either 125 <em>µ</em>m silver wire in the caudal NTS or a Neuropixel 1.0 probe along a dorsoventral trajectory that spanned the caudal NTS to the VRC. We additionally recorded cardiorespiratory activity via several methods. We induced a reflexive apnea – the diving reflex – by nasal irrigation of cold water for several seconds, which produces a period of apnea, then gasping, and then a gradual return to eupnea. We repeated several trials while the animal was healthy and subsequently induced continuous seizure activity with kainate and repeated the reflexes, which are ultimately fatal during seizure. Results: Seizure activity confounds many established methods of analyzing high-density single unit data such as provided by Neuropixels probes, and so our analyses focus on averaging responses over larger anatomical regions (120 <em>µ</em>m) covering small populations of neurons. Seizure produces broad increases in neuronal activity across the medullary tract, which by itself is not dangerous. Ictal reflexive apneas were broadly more inhibitory (producing a reduction in firing rate) than they were preictally, and fatal ictal responses resulted in a very rapid shutdown of all medullary activity. We only rarely observed ictal central apneas (apneas with no apparent stimuli), but when we did they were apparently safe, always survived, and produced no significant change in network activity (neither increase nor decrease). Conclusions: These data support the theory that central apnea events in seizure are relatively safe as we observed they produce little change in the medullary tract network, while stimuli-induced-reflexive-apneas are dangerous because they produce profound quieting across respiratory centers. Our data suggest that seizure spreads to this medullary tract at approximately the same rate and intensity as forebrain, as previously described in this model. These data are supportive of SUDEP mechanisms involving brainstem inhibition as a primary cause, such as spreading depolarization waves. These findings likely extend beyond nasal irrigation to any sensory reflexive apnea caused by airway irritation of any kind, and may bear relevance to similar deaths seen in infants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"218 ","pages":"Article 107642"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144890017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic functional connectivity variability in the thalamocortical circuit: Insights from Self-Limited Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes (SeLECTs)","authors":"Ahmed Ameen Fateh ,&nbsp;Abla Smahi ,&nbsp;Muhammad Hassan ,&nbsp;Cristina Cañete-Massé ,&nbsp;Adam A.Q. Mohammed ,&nbsp;Feng Yue ,&nbsp;Zhanqi Hu ,&nbsp;Hongwu Zeng","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107665","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107665","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Self-Limited Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes (SeLECTs) is a dominant childhood epilepsy form characterized by seizures originating from the brain’s centrotemporal region. Crucially, unlocking the neural dynamics and mechanisms underlying SeLECTs paves the way for potent diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Our work investigates dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) variability in the thalamocortical circuit in SeLECTs individuals, thereby shedding light on the temporal dynamics and anomaly in connectivity patterns tied to seizure occurrence and propagation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Utilizing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from 45 SeLECTs patients and 55 healthy controls (HCs), dynamic changes in functional connectivity (FC) across various brain regions were examined over time. We selected 16 thalamic seeds to delve into dFC variability using a sliding window approach. We also evaluated clinical data from both groups to discern its correlation with dFC variability. As a final step, a Support Vector Machine (SVM) was employed for classification analysis to demonstrate the potential use of dFC variability as a distinguishing feature between SeLECTs patients and HCs.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>t-test analysis manifested significant variances in dFC variability between SeLECTs and HCs groups related to thalamus seeds, also showing a correlation between VCI and certain areas. Out of 16 thalamus seeds, significant variances emerged in 9 seeds. Specifically, an increase in dFC variability was observed between the right occipital thalamus seed and the right precentral gyrus in SeLECTs patients, implying a positive connectivity alteration. On the other hand, a lowered dFC was observed between the right inferior prefrontal thalamus seed and the left cuneus, reflecting a reduction in their connectivity strength.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our study underscores the significance of dFC variability within the thalamocortical circuit in SeLECTs individuals. The noticeable aberrant connectivity patterns enrich our understanding of temporal dynamics linked to SeLECTs seizure occurrence and propagation, thereby contributing to understanding SeLECTs pathophysiology. These insights may steer the development of precise diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this widespread childhood epilepsy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"218 ","pages":"Article 107665"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145104430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Natural history of epilepsy in FOXG1 Syndrome","authors":"Caleb Rhodes ,&nbsp;Benjamin Rees ,&nbsp;Holly Dubbs ,&nbsp;Mollie Lesser ,&nbsp;Lucas Morgan ,&nbsp;Tim A. Benke ,&nbsp;Alan Percy ,&nbsp;Jeffrey L. Neul ,&nbsp;Eric D. Marsh ,&nbsp;for the NIH Rett and Related Disorders Natural History Study","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107644","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107644","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>FOXG1 syndrome is rare neurodevelopmental disorder with microcephaly, brain malformations, epilepsy, and cognitive and motor disabilities as major features. Knowledge of the clinical features is primarily from case series and a foundation sponsored registry. We expand insight into epilepsy in FOXG1 syndrome by examining longitudinal data from 94 individuals from a multi-site natural history study and local cohorts.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Clinical information on severity, seizure type, and seizure features was collected from 68 individuals enrolled in the Rett Syndrome and Related Disorders Natural History Study and extracted via retrospective chart review from 15 individuals seen at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Rett Syndrome Center of Excellence and 11 individuals from Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Genotype-phenotype and other correlations were assessed using non- and semi-parametric analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>78.7 % of participants had seizures, beginning at a median age of 1.0 years. Individuals were followed for a median of 4.9 years after first seizure onset. Taken independently, over 70 % of seizures were partial or tonic-clonic, occurred less than weekly, and lasted less than 5 min. 1/3 of seizures resolved in a median time and age of 1.1 and 3.3 years. Age had a weak non-linear association with average seizure frequency, and, for those with seizures, smaller head circumference correlated with increased disease severity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>We further characterize disease severity and epilepsy in FOXG1 syndrome and demonstrate that smaller head circumferences are associated with more severe disease and age is weakly non-linearly correlated with average seizure frequency. This information will improve clinical care and aid therapeutic development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"218 ","pages":"Article 107644"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144908471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Docosahexaenoic acid provides a protective effect in amygdala-kindled rats by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α","authors":"Hakimeh Gavzan ,&nbsp;Mohammad Sayyah ,&nbsp;Tara Asgari ,&nbsp;Mohammad Ali Mobaraki","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a bioactive fatty acid with safe and acceptable anti-seizure activity in clinical and animal studies. Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of epilepsy in adults, with a high rate of drug resistance. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) is expressed in the brain and plays a significant role in oxidative stress, energy homeostasis, and mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism. We aimed to evaluate the acute effect of DHA on the amygdala-kindled seizures and the role of PPARα in the DHA effect.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Male rats were kindled by repetitive daily electrical stimulation of the amygdala through a stimulating-recording electrode. DHA 1 mM (alone, or along with the PPARα antagonist GW6471, 2 and/or 4 μg/rat) was injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle of the kindled rats. The amygdala-kindled seizures were evoked 15 and 30 min after drug administration. The duration of after-discharges (ADD), generalized seizure behavior (S5D), and total seizure behavior (SD) were recorded.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>DHA significantly decreased ADD (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), S5D (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), SD (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), and incidence of S5 (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). GW6471 2 μg/rat did not change seizure parameters but at 4 μg/rat significantly increased ADD (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). GW6471 2 μg/rat diminished the anticonvulsant effect of DHA.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Acute administration of DHA inhibits amygdala-kindled seizures by activating PPARα. Although PPARα is a nuclear receptor, it partly mediates the acute anti-seizure effect of DHA by rapid non-genomic changes in cellular function. This finding reveals another characteristic of the remarkable omega-3 fatty acid, DHA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"218 ","pages":"Article 107655"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interictal epileptiform discharges as the most significant confounding factor underlying memory impairment in focal epilepsy","authors":"Anna Sákovics ,&nbsp;Gábor Csukly ,&nbsp;Csaba Borbély ,&nbsp;Anna Kelemen ,&nbsp;Zsófia Jordán ,&nbsp;Boglárka Hajnal ,&nbsp;Johanna Petra Szabó ,&nbsp;Loránd Erőss ,&nbsp;Dániel Fabó","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107636","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cognitive disturbances are highly prevalent in focal epilepsy and are often attributed to multifactorial causes, though the specific contributions of various predictors remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify and prioritize factors contributing to memory deficits in temporal lobe epilepsy, with a particular emphasis on interictal epileptiform discharges (IED).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In a cohort of 48 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy undergoing presurgical evaluation with invasive foramen ovale electrodes, we examined offline memory performance alongside language and attention as controls. Cognitive performance was correlated with mesial temporal IED rates recorded over 24 h and additional factors, including seizure characteristics, age at onset, epilepsy duration, temporal lobe lesions, and antiseizure medication use.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A robust negative correlation emerged between mesial temporal IED rates and hippocampal-dependent cognitive scores (r = -0.43 - −0.29, p &lt; 0.05), suggesting a direct impact of IEDs on memory consolidation processes. Epilepsy duration, antiseizure medication use and generalized seizures showed limited associations, but other variables including seizure frequency did not significantly correlate with cognitive performance.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Our findings suggest that IEDs may be the most relevant confounding factor contributing to sustained cognitive deficits in focal epilepsy. While IEDs are recognized markers of transient cognitive disruption, they have not yet demonstrated sufficient sensitivity or specificity as biomarkers of long-term cognitive dysfunction. Our study highlights the potential of IED frequency as a practical, clinically accessible biomarker for predicting chronic cognitive decline. These results emphasize the importance of developing targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing interictal activity to improve cognitive outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"218 ","pages":"Article 107636"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144842637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reassessing anhedonia in Genetic Absence Epilepsy: Sucrose preference unaltered by spike-wave discharges in WAG/Rij rats","authors":"Maria Pupikina,&nbsp;Evgenia Sitnikova","doi":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107683","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2025.107683","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anhedonia, characterized by reduced pleasure or interest, is linked to various neurological disorders, including genetic epilepsies. Previous studies in genetic rat models of absence epilepsy, such as WAG/Rij rats, have reported anhedonia-like behaviors. Here, we hypothesize that these behaviors depend on experimental factors rather than epilepsy itself. To test this, we conducted sucrose preference tests in WAG/Rij rats using different concentrations (2 % and 20 %), fasting durations (0 and 23 h), and test lengths (1 and 48 h). Rats underwent non-invasive electroencephalographic examination, which revealed typical 8–10 Hz spike-wave discharges (SWD) and a hallmark of absence epilepsy. In Experiment 1 (2 % sucrose), 59 symptomatic and 31 asymptomatic rats were tested at 6 and 12 months. In Experiment 2 (20 % sucrose), 34 rats were tested at 6 months. Surprisingly, there were no significant differences in sucrose preference or consumption between symptomatic and asymptomatic rats, indicating that absence epilepsy in WAG/Rij rats does not cause anhedonia. After a 23-h fast, female rats showed a lower preference for 20 % sucrose than males, suggesting that fasting conditions might introduce stress and metabolic differences that affect males and females differently. Both the 2 % and 20 % sucrose preference tests showed that symptomatic WAG/Rij rats did not exhibit anhedonia and had similar preferences to asymptomatic rats, regardless of concentration or fasting conditions. These findings challenge previous assumptions and emphasize the importance of considering methodological factors when interpreting rodent behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11914,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy Research","volume":"218 ","pages":"Article 107683"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145307206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}