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• Metabolic PET radiomics features were strong predictors of seizure recurrence. • PET-based radiomics score, SGS, and Durmon were significant predictors of seizure-free outcomes. • A nomogram incorporating PET-based radiomics and clinical risk factors demonstrated good performance in predicting surgery outcomes. To establish and validate a novel nomogram based on clinical characteristics and [18F]FDG PET radiomics for the prediction of postsurgical seizure freedom in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). 234 patients with drug-refractory TLE patients were included with a median follow-up time of 24 months after surgery. The correlation coefficient redundancy analysis and LASSO Cox regression were used to characterize risk factors. The Cox model was conducted to develop a Clinic-PET nomogram to predict the relapse status in the training set (n = 171). The nomogram's performance was estimated through discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility. The prognostic prediction model was validated in the test set (n = 63). Eight radiomics features were selected to assess the radiomics score (radscore) of the operation side (Lat_radscore) and the asymmetric index (AI) of the radiomics score (AI_radscore). AI_radscor, Lat_radscor, secondarily generalized seizures (SGS), and duration between seizure onset and surgery (Durmon) were significant predictors of seizure-free outcomes. The final model had a C-index of 0.68 (95 %CI: 0.59–0.77) for complete freedom from seizures and time-dependent AUROC was 0.65 at 12 months, 0.65 at 36 months, and 0.59 at 60 months in the test set. A web application derived from the primary predictive model was displayed for economic and efficient use. A PET-based radiomics nomogram is clinically promising for predicting seizure outcomes after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Long-term follow-up of 84 treatment-naïve patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS). • ASM provided encouraging treatment outcomes in drug-naïve MTLE-HS patients, with 64 % achieving seizure freedom (SF) and 41 % achieving complete SF in the last year of follow-up. • Remission and relapse were common in MTLE-HS, with 46 % and 51 % of patients experiencing a fluctuating course with periods of SF and complete SF, respectively. • Patients with MTLE-HS may require more ASMs for seizure control. This study aimed to describe long-term treatment outcomes of treatment-naïve patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS). A retrospective review was conducted of treatment-naïve patients with MTLE-HS who visited the Yonsei Epilepsy Clinic from April 2000 to April 2022 and were followed up for at least 2 years. Seizure freedom (SF) was defined as no seizures or auras only for >1 year, and complete SF was defined as no seizures including auras for >1 year. Eighty-four treatment-naïve patients with MTLE-HS with a median follow-up of 122 months were included. Except for one patient who underwent early surgical treatment, of the remaining 83 patients, 31 (37.3 %) achieved SF and remained in remission, 38 (45.8 %) had fluctuations in seizure control, and 14 (16.9 %) never achieved SF. Additionally, 18 (21.7 %) patients achieved complete SF and remained in remission, 42 (50.6 %) showed fluctuations, and 23 (27.7 %) never achieved complete SF. Fifty-three (63.9 %) patients achieved SF and 34 (41.0 %) achieved complete SF at their last visit. Older age at epilepsy onset, male sex, low pretreatment seizure density, history of central nervous system infection before age 5, absence of aura, and fewer antiseizure medications in the final regimen were associated with favorable outcome. Of the 84 patients, 11 (13.1 %) underwent temporal lobectomy. Medical treatment outcomes in treatment-naïve MTLE-HS were relatively better than previously reported outcomes in MTLE-HS, although frequent fluctuations in seizure control were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Own voice perception might be a complex process including emotional, memory, somatosensory, auditory, and facial recognition processing. • Right superior temporal gyrus, transverse temporal gyrus, amygdala, hippocampus, and fusiform gyrus (FG) are likely part of the neural network subjacent to own human voice perception. • Cortico-cortical evoked potentials might help to understand neurophysiological bases of own voice perception. • Own voice perception seem to be related to facial perception as well. The neural bases for language perception have been studied elsewhere using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Direct Cortical Stimulation. However, to our knowledge, there is no previous report about a patient identifying the change in his voice tone, speed, and prosody because of right temporal cortical stimulation. Nor has there been a cortico-cortical evoked potential (CCEP) assessment of the network underlying this process. We present CCEP from a patient with right focal refractory temporal lobe epilepsy of tumoral etiology who reported changes in the perception of his own speech prosody during stimulation. This report will serve as a complement to the understanding of the neural networks of language and prosody. The present report shows that right superior temporal gyrus, transverse temporal gyrus, right amygdala, hippocampus, and fusiform gyrus (FG) are part of the neural network subjacent to own human voice perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Abnormality of intrinsic brain activity in the temporal neocortex, mainly lateralized to the epileptic side, was detected by various indicators. • The application of dynamic indicators played a complementary role, further revealing the temporal variability decline of the occipital lobe. • Alteration of several indicators in the temporal neocortex, especially fALFF, may help in the diagnosis and lateralization of MRI-negative TLE. To comprehensively explore the potential brain activity abnormalities affected by MRI-negative temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and to detect whether the changes were associated with cognition and help in the diagnosis or lateralization. Six static intrinsic brain activity (IBA) indicators (ALFF, fALFF, ReHo, DC, GSCorr, VMHC) and their corresponding six temporal dynamic indicators in 39 unilateral MRI-negative TLE patients and 42 healthy volunteers were compared. Correlation analyses were performed between these indicators in areas displaying group differences, cognitive function, and epilepsy duration. ROC analyses were performed to test the diagnostic and lateralization ability of the IBA parameters. Considerable overlap was present among the abnormal brain regions detected by different static and dynamic indicators, including (1) alteration of fALFF, Reho, DC, VMHC, dfALFF, dReHo, and dDC in the temporal neocortex (predominately ipsilateral to the epileptogenic foci); (2) decreased dGSCorr and dVMHC in the occipital lobe. Meanwhile, the ReHo and VMHC values in the temporal neocortex correlated with the cognition scores or epilepsy duration (P < 0.01). The ROC analysis results revealed moderate diagnosis or lateralization efficiency of several IBA indicators (fALFF, dfALFF, ReHo, DC, dDC, and VMHC). The abnormal condition of neuronal activity in the temporal neocortex, predominately lateralized to the epileptic side, was a crucial feature in patients with MRI-negative TLE and might offer diagnosis or lateralization information. The application of dynamic intrinsic brain activity indicators played a complementary role, further revealing the temporal variability decline of the occipital lobe in MRI-negative TLE patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-level discourse analysis examined language in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). • When retelling personal memories, disturbed fluency, cohesion, and coherence emerges. • Over repetitions they consistently produce a vague account. • This possibly relates to the neurolinguistic demands of recalling personal events. Aside from deficits identified in single-word level retrieval, individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) exhibit clinical oddities, such as circumstantiality in their language production. Circumstantiality refers to the use of language which is pedantic, repetitive, and overly detailed. This becomes particularly evident when elicitation tasks impose minimal structure, or when impersonal narratives are retold over consecutive occasions. Personal reminiscence is highly specific and localised in time, placing unique demands on cognitive-linguistic systems. It is hypothesised that the nature of this elicitation paradigm will produce a unique psycholinguistic phenotype in those with TLE. Among controls there is a compression of output for impersonal narratives, meaning that they use fewer words over less time and are more fluent. The opposite effect is observed when personal narratives are retold. To investigate the micro- and macrolinguistic processes underpinning personal discourse production in TLE, we examined the elicited language output of 15 surgically naïve individuals with TLE and 14 healthy controls. Participants were asked to recall and re-tell an autobiographical memory on four immediately consecutive occasions, representing an alternative unstructured elicitation. Following transcription and coding of output, a detailed multi-level discourse analysis of output volume, fluency, cohesion, and coherence was conducted. As anticipated, a distinctly different pattern emerged in TLE when compared with controls who did not compress their output volume across repetitions but instead produced greater novelty, and a more coherent and refined account over time. Individuals with TLE consistently told a less distinct story across repetitions, with disturbances in fluency, cohesion, and coherence. This reflects a reduced capacity to produce a coherent mental representation, in all likelihood related to the neurolinguistic demands of recalling and retelling specific personal events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is known to be associated with an increased risk of epilepsy, which is not exclusively related to the late stage of the disease - when a major cognitive impairment is observed, previously known as the dementia stage - but also to its prodromal stage (mild cognitive impairment). Moreover, published case reports and cohorts have shown that epilepsy may occur even earlier, at the preclinical stage of AD: Epileptic seizures may therefore be the sole objective manifestation of the disease. Such a situation is called the epileptic variant of AD (evAD). EvAD is one of the etiologies of late-onset epilepsy, which means that it carries a risk of later progression to dementia and that it can only be diagnosed by assessing amyloid and tau biomarkers. However, evAD is a window of therapeutic opportunity that is probably optimal for preventing, through antiseizure medication treatment, the accelerated cognitive decline associated with AD-related brain hyperexcitability (manifested by seizures or interictal epileptiform activities)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None, (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Purpose: Ictal hypoxemia is accepted as one of the mechanisms underlying sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Although ictal hypoxemia is more common in generalized seizures, it also occurs in focal seizures with or without generalization. In this study, we aimed to show the relationship between clinical and electroencephalographic findings of seizures in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with periictal oxygen saturation.Methods: The data of 55 adult patients who were hospitalized in the Video EEG Monitoring Unit (VEMU) and operated on for drug-resistant TLE between January 2017 and December 2020 were examined. Forty-five seizures from 21 patients with ictal peripheral arterial saturation information and that were seizure-free for at least a year during the follow-up were included in the study.Results: The median patient age was 28 (IQR 25-39.5) years (women: 9, men: 12). Age at epilepsy onset was negatively correlated with saturation at seizure onset. Moreover, the age at VEMU admission was also negatively correlated with saturation at seizure onset and the lowest levels of saturation. The saturation at the end of the seizures and the lowest saturation measured in the periictal period with generalization of EEG were significantly lower than those without generalization. The onset of ictal EEG with the rhythmic theta pattern was significantly associated with the lowest level of saturation (<90%), postictal generalized electroencephalographic suppression (PGES), and the presence of generalization.Conclusion: According to the study, rhythmic ictal theta activity, older age, nocturnal seizure, and generalization in ictal EEG might increase the potential risk of SUDEP. Further studies including a greater number of subjects and different epilepsy syndromes may provide more comprehensive information about potential biomarkers for SUDEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We assessed the diagnostic utility of the occurrence rate of high-frequency oscillations and modulation index (MI) from intraoperative electrocorticography (ioECoG) in determining the extent of epileptogenicity in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with hippocampal sclerosis (HS).Methods: We enrolled 17 patients who underwent selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SelAH) for TLE due to HS. We analyzed the occurrence rate of ripples (80-200 Hz) and fast ripples (200-300 Hz); and MI between ripples and 3-4 Hz (MIRipples/3-4 Hz) and fast ripples and 3-4 Hz (MIFRs/3-4 Hz) from the amygdala, hippocampus, and lateral temporal lobe (LTL) pre-SelAH and the LTL post-SelAH, and subsequently categorized the patients into good and poor seizure outcome groups. We compared the occurrence rates and MIs over each region of interest between both groups. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to identify the most optimal indicator to predict poor surgical outcomes.Results: In the poor seizure outcome group, an increase in the occurrence rate of ripples was seen in the hippocampus and LTL pre-SelAH and the LTL post-SelAH. The MIRipples/3-4 Hz from the LTL pre-SelAH was the most indicative factor of poor outcome.Conclusions: High occurrence rate of ripples and MIRipples/3-4 Hz from the LTL showed wide epileptogenicity in TLE patients with poor seizure outcomes after SelAH. Our data suggest that the analysis of the occurrence rate of HFOs and MIHFOs/3-4 Hz from ioECoG, especially from the LTL, can indicate the distribution of epileptogenicity in TLE with HS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Changes in the brain networks of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) have been extensively explored, but the biological mechanisms underlying these alterations remain unclear. Here, we aim to identify changes in brain networks in patients with TLE and provide an accurate algorithm for distinguishing these patients from normal controls (NC) with graph-theoretical approach and advanced machine learning methods.Methods: Directed network construction was applied to resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from 55 subjects (23 TLE patients and 32 NC), and 13 directed graph measures were calculated. Two-sample t-test selected features were used as inputs to a support vector machine (SVM). The leave-one-out cross-validation method was used in measuring classification performance.Results: An accuracy of 94.55% (sensitivity = 91.30%, f1-score = 93.33%, Cohen's kappa = 0.9345) was achieved for the classification of TLE patients and NC with optimal features and SVM classifier. According to the results of the two-sample t-test results, TLE disease impacted several areas of the brain, including the temporal, parietal, occipital, posterior cingulate, angular gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, and cerebellum regions in degree centrality, flow coefficient and node efficiency. There was a significant correlation between performance IQ and the flow coefficient of the left posterior cerebellum lobe in TLE group.Conclusion: The study confirmed the validity of Granger causality analysis in constructing directed brain networks. The proposed machine learning approach based on directed graph measures may serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis of TLE to assist in the early diagnosis of TLE patients and intervention in treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to navigate in our complex social world successfully, it is crucial to maintain and practice cognitive skills that are dedicated to adaptive social functioning. Emerging evidence suggests that besides deficits in declarative memory, executive functions, and language, impairments in social cognition (SC, e.g., emotion recognition, theory of mind) are also present in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The organic and psycho-social consequences of epilepsy surgery might have additional implications regarding this deficit. Here we qualitatively synthesize longitudinal and cross-sectional findings on SC after TLE surgery. A literature search using PubMed and Scopus identified 275 potential articles. Studies were eligible if they (1) included patients with a diagnosis of TLE, (2) included a healthy comparison group, (3) reported original research, (4) were published in peer-reviewed journals and in English language, (5) reported the intervention of epilepsy surgery. Articles that (1) were case studies, (2) did not focus on SC abilities, (3) used interviews or self-report questionnaires to examine SC functions were excluded. A total of 16 original studies assessing emotion recognition (ER) and/or theory of mind (ToM) matched our criteria. The literature suggests that neither ER nor ToM abilities change after surgery: post-surgery patients show similar impairment patterns to pre-surgery patients. Nevertheless, individual improvement or decline could be masked by group comparisons and results should be considered in light of methodological heterogeneity among studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroinflammation is probably one of the factors involved in drug resistance in people with epilepsy. Finding peripheral markers reflecting the intensity of neuroinflammation could be of great help to decide for which patients anti-inflammatory treatment might be an option. In this context, peripheral cytokines levels and lymphocyte phenotypes were assessed by ELISA and flow cytometry in 3 groups of subjects: drug resistant patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (DR-TLE), non DR-TLE patients and healthy controls. The same parameters were assessed in brain tissue in the DR-TLE group. Differences in the peripheral immune-inflammatory status between the 3 groups of subjects, and correlations between the central and peripheral immune-inflammatory status in DR-TLE patients were evaluated. Forty-one patients with DR-TLE, ten with non-DR-TLE and twenty controls were included. In the periphery, decrease in regulatory cells were observed in DR-TLE patients compared to controls. In addition, significant increase of IL-6 and IL-5 was observed in patients with epilepsy (particularly DR-TLE patients). Two groups of DR-TLE patients with significant differences in several central inflammatory parameters were identified in a cluster analysis. The inflammatory cluster was associated with a peripheral increase of CD4+CD38+ cells and different significant correlations between central and systemic inflammatory parameters were observed. Although their interpretation is not immediate, they demonstrate a clear dialogue between central and peripheral inflammatory reactions. In conclusion, our results add new elements to better understand the interactions between the central and peripheral compartments in patients with DR-TLE, and to help better define treatment options in this group of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study evaluated the association between eligible patients not proceeding with resective epilepsy surgery and various demographic, disease-specific, and epilepsy-evaluation variables.Methods: This retrospective case-control study included patients identified as candidates for resective epilepsy surgery at the Montefiore Medical Center between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2017. Chi-squared, two-tailed, independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression were utilized to identify variables associated with patients not proceeding with surgery.Results: Among the 159 potential surgical candidates reviewed over the 8.5-year study period, only 53 ultimately proceeded with surgery (33%). Eighty-seven (55%) out of these 159 patients were identified as appropriate for resective epilepsy surgery during the study period. Thirty-four (39%) of these 87 patients did not proceed with surgery. Variables independently correlated (either positively or negatively) with the patient not proceeding with surgery were: being employed [Odds Ratio (OR) 4.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-15.73], temporal lobe lesion on MRI (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.14-0.84), temporal lobe EEG ictal onsets (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.07-0.62), and temporal lobe epileptogenic zone (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07-0.55).Conclusion: The novel finding in this study is the association between employment status and whether the patient had epilepsy surgery: employed patients were 4.2 times more likely to not proceed with surgery compared to unemployed patients. In addition, patients with a temporal lobe lesion on MRI, temporal lobe EEG ictal onsets, and/or a temporal epileptogenic zone were more likely to proceed with surgery. Future work will be needed to evaluate these findings prospectively, determine if they generalize to other patient populations, explore the decision whether or not to proceed with epilepsy surgery from a patient-centered perspective, and suggest strategies to reduce barriers to this underutilized treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with tissue abnormalities of several gray and white matter structures that are reproduced in animal models. Few longitudinal studies have focused on the identification of structural differences during epileptogenesis. The diffusion tensor model is a useful tool for evaluating cell death, gliosis, and axonal plasticity in epileptic subjects. This study aimed to evaluate temporal tissue changes after experimental status epilepticus in an animal model of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy.Methods: Systemic pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were scanned using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at three time points: prior to status epilepticus, and 24 and 64 days post-induction (early and late chronic, respectively). Fractional anisotropy, apparent diffusion coefficient, axial diffusivity (D║), and radial diffusivity (D┴) were evaluated in white (fimbria, cingulum, corpus callosum, and internal capsule) and gray (dorsal hippocampus, dentate gyrus, and CA3) matter regions for the three time points. Histological assessment of neurodegeneration in Klüver-Barrera preparations from the same animals was performed.Results: Significantly reduced volume of dorsal hippocampus and fimbria of the epileptic animals was observed already at 24 days post-status epilepticus. Progressive changes of DTI parameters in both the white and gray matter structures of the experimental group were also observed. Stained sections confirmed such alterations.Conclusion: Our study revealed time-dependent diffusion changes in gray and white matter structures after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus. The characterization of these alterations over time may be potential imaging markers for epileptogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify prognostic factors and long-term seizure outcomes for patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) who underwent resective treatment for epilepsy.Methods: We enrolled 81 patients with TSC who had undergone resective epilepsy surgery at Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, between April 2004 and June 2019. We estimated cumulative probability of remaining seizure-free and plotted survival curves. Variables were compared using Mann-Whitney U, Pearson's correlation, continuity correction, and Fisher's exact chi-square tests. Prognostic predictors were analysed using log-rank (Mantel-Cox) tests and Cox regression models.Results: At the last follow-up, 48 (59.3%) patients were classified as International League Against Epilepsy Class 1 (including 14 patients who had seizures <3 times postoperatively on the same or different day and were seizure-free at all other times). The estimated cumulative probability of remaining seizure-free postoperatively was 69.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 58.8-79.2%), 61.9% (95% CI 51.1-72.7%), and 55.0% (95% CI 42.8-67.2%) at 2, 5, and 10 years, respectively. The mean time of remaining seizure-free was 7.24 ± 0.634 years (95% CI 6.00-8.49); en bloc resection was an essential positive predictor of postoperative seizure freedom, as was age at seizure onset, regional interictal video-electroencephalography pattern, and temporal lobe surgery. The longer the seizure-free time, the less likely a relapse. Patients who postoperatively experienced seizures remained likely to recover.Conclusions: We demonstrated the efficacy of surgical treatment for patients with TSC and intractable epilepsy. Detailed perioperative tests are a reliable predictor of postoperative seizure freedom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: It is established that the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms is associated with poorer quality of life (QOL) in persons with drug-resistant epilepsy. We aimed to verify the presence of subsyndromic depressive episodes (SDEs) and subsyndromic anxiety episodes (SAEs) in persons with temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS) compared to healthy controls and to determine the impact of depressive and anxiety symptoms on patients' QOL.Methods: We prospectively evaluated 35 persons with TLE-HS and 90 healthy controls. QOL was assessed by the Epilepsy Surgery Inventory (ESI) and QOL in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-X) were used to assess symptoms, and SDEs and SAEs diagnosis were made considering the total scores of BDI (<9) and STAI-Trait (<49), respectively.Results: Persons with TLE-HS had higher symptoms on BDI, STAI-S, and STAI-T. They have 3.011 greater odds of presenting SDEs and 7.056 times odds, SAEs. The depressive and anxiety symptoms, added in the model with epilepsy-related factors, accounted for a significant increase in the variance in several aspects of QOL. Anxiety-trait symptoms are the most critical individual determinant of the QOL.Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that persons with TLE-HS had greater odds of presenting SDE and SAE than healthy controls. Besides, there was a relationship between anxiety and depressive symptoms and worse QOL in TLE-HS. It is essential to be aware of psychiatric symptoms, even though these symptoms do not meet the criteria to be considered a "disorder." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: One-third of the patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) have a normal MRI, but there are only a few studies regarding the surgical outcomes and the efficacy of anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) in patients with nonlesional TLE. The objective of this study is to evaluate the surgical outcomes and efficacy of ATL in patients with nonlesional TLE.Methods: We included 77 consecutive patients without MRI-identifiable lesions who had undergone surgical resection for drug-resistant TLE. We performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify the predictors of surgical outcomes, and the efficacy of ATL in patients with nonlesional TLE.Results: More than two-thirds of patients (51/76, 67.3 %) had achieved seizure freedom at the last follow-up. Presence of oroalimentary automatism, localized hypometabolism in FDG-PET, and concordant results in presurgical evaluations were associated with better surgical outcomes. Only 15 out of 77 patients (19.2 %) with nonlesional TLE were treated with ATL, and the surgically resected areas were located within the resection margin of ATL in one-third of the patients (26/77, 33.8 %). Patients with auras suggesting neocortical ictal onset and lateralizing semiological features had a higher chance that their potentially epileptogenic areas were located beyond or outside the resection margin of ATL.Conclusion: Our study showed that the potentially epileptogenic areas were located beyond or outside the margin of the ATL in nearly two-thirds of the patients. Several clinical factors may be useful in predicting the location of an epileptogenic area, which can help optimize a surgical strategy in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nasal pain, as an epileptic aura, has been poorly recognized. This study aims to demonstrate clinical features of patients with epilepsy who have nasal pain as an aura.Methods: We retrospectively investigated consecutive patients who visited the epilepsy clinic of tertiary hospital from April 2000 to September 2019. All included patients underwent epilepsy-dedicated, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. All MRI studies were analyzed by visual inspection.Results: Seven patients who presented nasal pain as an aura, were identified. Four patients reported nasal pain as the first aura. Four patients had right amygdala enlargement (isolated amygdala enlargement in three patients; amygdala enlargement in addition to hippocampal sclerosis in one patient), and one patient with compression of an internal carotid-posterior communicating artery aneurysm to right amygdala on brain MRI. Interictal epileptiform or ictal discharges on EEG were found in the right temporal region in five patients. In all four patients with amygdala enlargement, amygdala enlargement was ipsilateral to EEG anomalies. In all patients, nasal pain was accompanied by ictal semiological features, such as autonomic, olfactory, abdominal, or psychic auras, and focal impaired awareness seizures, which are typically associated with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that nasal pain can occur as an epileptic aura in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy with probable involvement of the amygdala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the neuropsychological findings related to the presence of pre-surgical comorbid depression in Latin-American patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) and unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (HS).Method: Patients with drug-resistant MTLE and unilateral, left (L-) or right (R-) HS were studied. To diagnose depression, psychiatrists with expertise in epilepsy applied a semi-structured interview based on DSM. The depression group (DG) included patients with a psychiatric diagnosis in addition to a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score >16 points, and the non-depression group (NDG) included those without this diagnosis and with a BDI score ≤16. We analysed two clusters of neuropsychological tests, which evaluated memory (Complex Rey Figure III, Logical Memory II and RAVLT VII) and attention plus executive functions (Stroop I/II/III and Trail Making A/B). Moreover, we calculated the z-scores (Zs) using a local control group. The DG was compared to the NDG, independently and according to the HS side, using non-parametrical analyses. Due to the multivariate analysis, the p-value was corrected by applyingpost hoc Bonferroni adjustment.Results: We analysed 65 patients. The NDG included 51 (78.4 %) patients, and the DG included 14 (21.5 %) patients. Pre-surgical comorbid depression occurred in eight patients with L- (n = 29) and in six patients with R-MTLE-HS (n = 36). All of these groups had similar gender, age, IQs, and years of schooling. Compared to the healthy subjects, the L-MTLE-HS patients had lower Zs in verbal episodic memory tests [Logical Memory II (p < 0.001), and RAVLT VII (p < 0.001)], and the R-MTLE-HS patients had lower scores in visual episodic memory [Complex Rey Figure III (p < 0.001)]. In the analysis of the DGvs. NDG, there were no differences in the clusters of tests of memory or in those of attention and executive functions. Moreover, when we analysed the patients according to HS side, no neuropsychological difference was observed in the DG and NDG in terms of L- and R-MTLE-HS.Conclusions: The patients with MTLE and unilateral HS in this study showed no differences in memory, attention and executive functions in relation to the presence of pre-surgical comorbid depression and independently of HS side. In this series from Latin-America, this psychiatric comorbidity did not affect cognition more than epilepsy alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Temporal lobe epilepsy is increasingly being recognized as a disorder associated with brain networks extending outside the seizure onset zone. In the current study, we aim to clarify regional functional changes using a regional homogeneity method.Methods: We retrospectively included resting-state fMRI data from 14 left and 18 right temporal lobe epilepsy patients. Data from the control group were acquired from an open dataset. Regional homogeneity was calculated, and a two-sample t-test was performed to compare the left and right temporal lobe epilepsy groups with the control group.Results: Compared with the healthy control group, the left temporal lobe epilepsy group showed increased regional homogeneity in the left anterior and middle cingulate cortex, and putamen; right inferior frontal gyrus; bilateral temporal lobe and precentral gyrus and decreased regional homogeneity in the left superior parietal gyrus, cuneus and inferior occipital gyrus; right inferior parietal lobule and bilateral rectus. The right temporal lobe epilepsy group showed increased regional homogeneity in the left middle cingulate cortex, precuneus, precentral and postcentral gyrus; right insula and bilateral temporal lobe and decreased regional homogeneity in the left cuneus and superior occipital gyrus; right supramarginal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus, inferior occipital gyrus and putamen; and the bilateral rectus.Conclusion: Regional homogeneity measurements provide evidence supporting that temporal lobe epilepsy is a complex network disease. Functional disruption of temporal lobe epilepsy at the brain region level was revealed, which may provide novel insights for any potential diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of our study is to compare seizure-free outcome and the incidence of visual field deficits (VFD) between anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) and selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SAH) among patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases using keywords related to ATL, SAH and VFD. Previous studies that compared ATL and SAH with seizure-free outcome and the incidence of VFD were included. A fixed-effect model was used to conduct meta-analysis. Risk ratio with 95% confidence intervals were pooled and used to elucidate each outcome.Results: Twenty-three retrospective and three prospective studies were recruited with a total of 2930 cases (1390 cases for SAH and 1540 cases for ATL). The meta-analysis showed no significant difference in seizure freedom (SAH 63.5% vs ATL 63.8%) of these two procedures (RR 0.95, 95%CI 0.90-1.01, P = 0.102), but the odds of seizure freedom in ATL was higher than transsylvian SAH approach (RR 0.89 95% CI 0.82-0.96, P =  0.004). Comparing with ATL for TLE, SAH for TLE caused lower frequency of postoperative VFD. (RR 0.87, 95%CI 0.76-0.99, P = 0.034).Conclusions: There was no significant difference on seizure freedom between ATL and SAH procedures, while subgroup analysis demonstrated that ATL was associated with higher opportunity to achieve seizure-free than transsylvian SAH approach. Furthermore, the incidence of postoperative VFD was significantly lower in SAH than ATL. Individualized treatment achieving balance between seizure free and collateral damage should be considered in clinical practice. Well-designed randomized controlled clinical trials would be necessary to validate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD-65) have been identified in patients with chronic epilepsy. In this study, we ask (1) what is the frequency of GAD-65 antibodies in chronic epilepsy? (2) what is the frequency and type of epilepsy in individuals with GAD-65 antibodies?Methods: For cohort 1, serum samples of patients with epilepsy (without type I diabetes) were obtained from our biobank. Samples were tested for GAD-65 antibodies using a cell-based assay and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. For cohort 2, patients with positive GAD-65 antibodies were identified and their medical records were reviewed for the presence and characteristics of epilepsy.Results: Cohort 1 included 270 patients, of which 53% were women; median age was 47 years; median duration of epilepsy was 16 years. Epilepsy was focal in 87% (temporal lobe in 20%), and drug-resistant in 45%. GAD-65 antibodies were present in two out of 270 cases (0.7%) and zero controls. Cohort 2 consisted of 23 patients with known GAD-65 antibodies, of which ten had epilepsy (43%). Of these, 80% were women with a median age of 40 years and a median duration of epilepsy of 18 years. All ten patients had focal epilepsy, nine had temporal lobe epilepsy, and seven were drug resistant.Conclusions: In patients with chronic epilepsy, the frequency of GAD-65 antibodies detected with our cell-based assay was substantially lower than previously reported with use of other methods. When present, GAD-65 antibodies are associated with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. GAD-65 positive epilepsy patients merit further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A novel software algorithm combining non-invasive EEG and resting state functional MRI data to map networks of cortex correlated to epileptogenic tissue was used to map an epilepsy network non-invasively. The relationship between epilepsy network connectivity and outcomes after surgery was investigated using this non-invasive and non-concurrent modeling algorithm.Method: Scalp EEG and resting state functional MRI were acquired for nineteen patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. The hypothetical irritative zone was mapped, and resting state functional MRI data was used to model regions functionally correlated with the irritative zone. Epilepsy network connectivity was measured in patient with temporal lobe epilepsy (n = 19) both pre- and post-operatively. Temporal networks were also mapped in healthy control participants (n = 6).Results: Thirteen of nineteen patients (68 %) were seizure free after 20.3 ± 4.8 months. Epilepsy network connectivity within the temporal lobe was significantly higher among patients with temporal lobe epilepsy compared to the healthy control patients (p < 0.05). Disconnection of the epilepsy network was significantly higher in patients who were seizure free. Using spearman rho analyses, neuropsychological function after surgery was found to be relatively better in patients with higher degree of epilepsy network disconnection.Conclusions: The magnitude of network disconnection after surgery was strongly associated with increased rates of seizure freedom and relatively better neuropsychological measures of memory and naming function. It was shown that seizure-free outcomes and relatively improved neuropsychological function correlated with surgical disconnection of a highly synchronous epilepsy network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Amygdala enlargement (AE) has been reported in drug resistant lesional and non-lesional temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Its contribution to development of intractability of epilepsy is at best uncertain. Our aim was to study the natural course of AE in a heterogenous group of TLE patients with follow-up imaging and clinical outcomes.Methods: A prospective observational study in patients with TLE with imaging features of AE recruited from epilepsy clinics between 1994 and 2018. Demographic data, details of epilepsy syndrome, outcomes and follow up neuroimaging were extracted.Results: Forty-two patients were recruited including 19 males (45 %). Mean age at onset of epilepsy was 30.6 years and mean duration of epilepsy was 19.9 years. On MRI, 33 patients had isolated unilateral AE and eleven had AE with hippocampal enlargement (HE). Twenty (48 %) underwent temporal resections with most common histopathology being amygdalar gliosis (40 %). Engel Class IA outcome at last follow up (mean, 10 years) was 60 %. Thirty-four patients had neuroimaging follow up of at least 1 year (mean, 5 years). AE resolved in 6, persisted in 25, evolved into bilateral HS in 1, bilateral mesial temporal atrophy in 1 and ipsilateral mesial temporal atrophy in 1. Resolution of AE was associated with better seizure free outcomes (p = 0.013).Conclusions: TLE with AE is associated with favourable prognosis yet not benign. Over 50 % were drug resistant and surgical outcomes were similar to mTLE. Resolution of AE on follow up neuroimaging was associated with better seizure free outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Using an adult cohort of patients with focal epilepsy, we aimed to identify risk factors for development of drug-resistant epilepsy, which if identifiable would allow patients to receive appropriate counsel and earlier surgical treatment.Methods: This is a case-control study nested within a cohort, 146 adult patients with focal epilepsy were included. Definitions were used in accordance with ILAE criteria. The odds ratio and its confidence interval were calculated. We performed a logistic regression analysis.Results: Seventy-one [48.6%] patients met the criteria for drug-resistant epilepsy [cases] and 75 [51.4%] patients were controls. The mean age of patients was 44.5 ± 16.4 years. The most significant variables associated with developing drug-resistant epilepsy include younger age at diagnosis [18.75 vs. 32.2, p < 0.001], years of evolution of epilepsy [22.54 vs. 16.05, p < 0.001], number of AED [4.8 vs. 2.87, p < 0.001], complex partial seizures [51 vs. 35 OR 2.9, p = 0.002], having more than one seizure per month [51 vs. 38, p = 0.009], bi-temporal focus [14 vs. 4 p = 0.008] and mesial temporal sclerosis [23 vs. 11 p = 0.01]. Good response to first AED [7 vs. 29 OR 0.2, p = 0.001] and epilepsy secondary to encephalomalacia [8 vs. 20 OR 0.35, p = 0.018] might be protective factors against drug resistant epilepsy.Conclusions: Longer time of epilepsy evolution, high frequency of seizures, complex partial seizure presentation, higher number of antiepileptic drugs, mesial temporal sclerosis and bitemporal epilepsy are predictive factors of subsequent pharmacoresistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To characterise bilateral temporal encephalocele (BTE)-associated epilepsy relative to unilateral temporal encephalocele (UTE)-associated epilepsy as a rare but curable cause of structural epilepsy using demographics, epilepsy status and imaging findings.Method: In this single-centre retrospective study we included all patients from June 2015 to August 2018, who suffered from epilepsy and were diagnosed with a temporal encephalocele. Data were systematically collected and analysed for differences between BTE and UTE.Results: Seventeen epilepsy patients diagnosed with temporal encephaloceles (TE) were identified. One-third exhibited BTE. The age of epilepsy onset was higher in patients with BTE compared to UTE (median 51 vs. 37 years, p = 0.074). Latency between epilepsy diagnosis and definitive TE diagnosis differed considerably with a median five-fold shorter duration for the BTE-group when compared to the UTE-group (2-10 years, p = 0.02). Five of seven (81%) patients with BTE were pharmacoresistant, while this applied to only five out of ten (50%) patients with a UTE.Conclusion: When compared to UTE-associated epilepsy, BTE-associated epilepsy is characterised by a later age at onset, shorter delay in TE diagnosis and more frequent drug-resistance. As epilepsy surgery is a valid treatment option for both syndromes, a standardised diagnostic workup should be implemented for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients with unknown aetiology to facilitate early detection of UTE and BTE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the hippocampal internal architecture (HIA) between 3 and 7 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and to investigate the relationship between HIA and hippocampal volume, and postoperative outcomes.Materials and Methods: Thirty-nine TLE patients were recruited with 3 and 7 T MRI scans and a semi-quantitative assessment of the HIA was performed. Differences in HIA scores between 3 and 7 T MRI were evaluated. HIA and hippocampal volume asymmetry were also calculated and compared. The utility of HIA and hippocampal volume asymmetry in epilepsy lateralization, and the predictive value between these two indicators were compared. The relationship between HIA and postoperative outcomes was investigated in 25 patients with amygdalohippocampectomy.Results: HIA scores of epileptogenic hippocampi were lower than those of non-epileptogenic hippocampi at 3 and 7 T MRI. Higher HIA scores were observed at 7 T MRI. The HIA asymmetry and hippocampal volume asymmetry were both strong predictors for epilepsy lateralization and did not show difference in predictive value. No statistical differences in HIA asymmetry were observed between seizure-free patients (ILAE 1) compared to patients with seizures (ILAE 2-5).Conclusions: Visualization of hippocampal internal architecture (HIA) may be improved at 7 T MRI. HIA asymmetry is a significant predictor of laterality of seizure onset in TLE patients and has similar predictive value as hippocampal volume asymmetry, however, HIA asymmetry at 7 T does not have extra value in determining epilepsy lateralization and neither does predict surgical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the very long-term (i.e., ≥15 years) seizure, cognitive and psycho-social outcomes in resected patients (RP) with TLE compared to control patients not having undergone epilepsy surgery.Methods: We applied a multiple case-study design including three non-resected patients (NRP) who were compared to a group of six RP. The latter were matched to the NRP according to clinical-demographic data. Outcome measures were various seizure, cognitive, and psycho-social variables.Results: Patients were 56-72 years old. Seizure and AED outcome was more favourable among RP. RP reported better self-perceived overall health but higher subjective memory complaints. Upon formal neuropsychological testing, RP presented with lower verbal memory scores. Very long-term memory decline was evident in left-sided RP with good baseline memory scores, while RP with lower baseline performance, right-sided RP and NRP remained stable. Seizure-freedom had remarkable effects on the relationship between objective and subjective outcome: seizure-free patients, in general, subjectively reported the best psychosocial and cognitive outcome - irrespective of neuropsychological test results.Conclusion: Our study suggests positive effects of TLE surgery in the very long-term course of ≥15 years postoperatively. Long-term seizure-freedom appears to have the strongest impact on patients' subjectively perceived psycho-social and cognitive outcome and may even outweigh actual memory disturbances and/or decline. Overall, our data do not support the assumption of a generally accelerated cognitive decline in patients with TLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Epileptic seizures are a common manifestation of autoimmune encephalitis, but the role of neural antibodies in long-term epilepsy remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of neural-surface antibodies (NSAbs) and antibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in patients with chronic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).Method: Patients with an electro-clinical diagnosis of TLE and a disease duration longer than one year were included. NSAbs (LGI1, CASPR2, AMPAR1/2, NMDAR, GABABR) and antibodies against GAD were detected. Only patients with significant antibody levels in serum, and/or positivity in CSF (according to antibody subtype), were enrolled in the seropositive group. Cohorts of seropositive and seronegative patients were compared regarding clinical and imaging data.Results: Significant serum levels of antibodies were detected in eight out of 163 (5%) TLE patients (CASPR2 n = 2, GAD n = 3, LGI1 n = 2, and GABABR n = 1). In four of them, antibodies were detected in the CSF as well (CASPR2 in one, GAD in three). Five seropositive patients had uni- or bilateral temporal lobe lesions on MRI and three patients were non-lesional. All seropositive patients had TLE of unknown cause. Seropositive patients had higher age at epilepsy onset and autoimmune comorbidity, but did not differ in other clinical, EEG or neuroimaging characteristics. Response to immunotherapy (seizure reduction >50%) was observed in three of the six patients treated.Conclusions: Besides older age at epilepsy onset and autoimmune comorbidity, seropositive patients cannot be distinguished from seronegative patients on the basis of clinical, EEG or neuroimaging data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Epilepsy surgery can be a successful treatment option for temporal lobe epilepsy but there are concerns about accelerated memory decline in long-term follow-up.Method: 161 adult operated (77 right, 84 left temporal resections) versus a heterogeneous group of 208 non-operated patients with focal epilepsies were consecutively recruited and re-evaluated focusing on memory, executive functions, and vocational outcome after follow-up intervals of >5 years (5-22 years, mean 8 ± 3 years).Results: Major losses in the operated group manifest early, at one-year follow-up. Few patients declined further. Long-term changes after surgery did not differ from those observed without surgery. The factor "surgery" caused verbal memory decline, "seizure freedom" (operated 48%, non-operated 17%) was associated with recovery of verbal memory, and "drug reduction" positively affected the course of executive functions. In terms of the critical function of verbal memory, only 3-17% of seizure-free patients showed long-term decline whereas 16-20% showed improvement (operated and non-operated). Persistent seizures were associated with decline in 12-37% and improvement in 4-12% of patients. Improvement was related to longer retest intervals and was stronger in younger patients. Independent of surgery or seizure outcome, the vocational status remained unchanged or change was negative (22%) rather than positive (3%).Conclusions: Patients' cognitive course 5-22 years after surgery is stable and may even be positive if epilepsy is controlled and drug load reduced. Depending on seizure outcome, recovery is more frequently observed than continuing decline. Recovery, however, takes time and age is a limiting factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate risk factors for drug resistance and polypharmacy in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.Methods: Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, treated for more than 5 years, completed questionnaires on antiepileptic drug use and effect. Logistic regression models were used for analysis of risk factors.Results: Of 135 patients included in the study, 65% were classified as drug resistant and 41% identified as using polypharmacy. Poor effects associated with first-choice antiepileptic drug were reported by 59% of the patients, and 70% reported poor effects of second-line treatment. The most frequently used first-generation antiepileptic drugs had a similar mean effect to those of second-generation. Univariate regression analyses showed a significant association between drug resistance and mesial temporal sclerosis, seizure onset below 18 years, and lack of family history of epilepsy. However, multivariate regression analysis showed no association with any demographic or clinical features. Unsuccessful treatment with the first antiepileptic drug increased the risk of drug resistance by 18 times, and the risk of poor effect from the second antiepileptic drug by 9 times. Disease duration was associated with annual risk for drug resistance of 7% and for polypharmacy of 5%.Conclusions: A poor effect from initial pharmacotherapy is the only early risk factor for drug resistance found in this study. Long disease duration increases the risk of drug resistance and polypharmacy. Second-generation antiepileptic drugs provide no additional effect for poor responders to first-generation drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Some variants of the brain derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) gene, namely the Val66Met (rs6265), may contribute the risk for epilepsy development. We aimed to investigate if this polymorphism was associated with the risk for epilepsy development in TLE-HS and its correlation with epilepsy-related factors and the presence of psychiatric disorders.Methods: We assessed 119 patients with unequivocal TLE-HS and 112 healthy controls. Individuals were genotyped for the polymorphisms of the gene encoding BDNF Val66Met.Results: There was no difference between TLE-HS and healthy controls, for the genotypic distribution (p = 0.636) and allelic distribution (p = 0.471). There was no correlation between Val66Met and epilepsy-related factors and for psychiatric comorbidities (p = 0.888).Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that polymorphism Val66Met is not associated with TLE-HS, epilepsy-related factors and psychiatric comorbidities in this selected group of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are paroxysmal episodes superficially resembling epileptic seizures but are not associated with any electrical abnormalities. Despite the existence of recent evidence addressing psychological interventions on PNES, there is a scarcity of studies investigating such interventions on patients with dual diagnoses, such as in temporal lobe epilepsy/mesial temporal sclerosis (TLE-MTS) with comorbid PNES; TLE-MTS is a very frequent epilepsy syndrome found in tertiary centers. We aimed to investigate the effects of a group psychotherapeutic intervention program based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on patients dually diagnosed with TLE-MTS and PNES treated in a tertiary center.Method: Patients with TLE-MTS and PNES who were followed-up in a tertiary center were invited. The intervention consisted of eight weekly, semi-structured group meetings. The Brazilian versions of the Quality of Life Scale (SF-36), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), and the Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC) were applied before and after the intervention.Results: Forty-seven patients were enrolled (25 females; 53.2%). Psychiatric disorders (PD) were observed in all 47 patients (100%); Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) was the most frequent PD (24; 51.0%). There were improvements on quality of life (P = 0.003), decreased depression (P<0.0001) and anxiety symptoms (P = 0.02), decreased levels of alexithymia (P = 0.02) and a reduction in seizure frequency (P = 0.02) after the intervention.Conclusions: Present data suggest a positive impact of a group psychological intervention based on CBT in patients with TLE-MTS and PNES, highlighting this therapeutic possibility for this specific subgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Resection of the hippocampus can cause verbal memory decline, especially in the pediatric population. Thus, preservation of the hippocampus can be crucial for the quality of life of children with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) who are candidates for epilepsy surgery. We investigated techniques that determine whether the hippocampus is part of the epileptogenic zone and the outcomes of pediatric surgery aimed to spare the hippocampus.Methods: We accessed data of children with normal hippocampus on MRI, who underwent surgery for medically refractory TLE. To identify epileptogenic areas, electrocorticography was performed in patients with space occupying lesions adjacent to the hippocampus, and long term invasive monitoring in patients with nonlesional TLE. Postoperative seizure control was classified according to Engel I-IV; Class I indicates seizure-free.Results: Eleven females and 11 males met study inclusion criteria; the mean age at surgery was 11.3 years. Cortical and hippocampal electrocorticography was performed in 15 patients and long term invasive hippocampal monitoring in seven. The hippocampus was preserved in 16 patients (73%) while hippocampectomy was performed in 6 (27%). At the end of a mean follow-up of 3.5 years, 94% (15/16) of the patients who did not undergo hippocampectomy were classified as Engel I, compared to 50% (3/6) who underwent hippocampectomy.Conclusion: Sparing the hippocampus in temporal lobe epilepsy surgery is possible with excellent seizure outcome, while using the proper intraoperative technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The systematic review aimed to assess the neuropsychological outcomes of temporal lobe resections for epilepsy in children. Additional objectives included determining whether earlier age at surgery leads to better neuropsychological outcomes; the relationships between and predictors of these outcomes.Methods: Using advanced search terms, a systematic review of electronic databases was conducted, comprising MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Global Health, Web of Science and CINAHL. Included studies reported on outcome following neurosurgical treatment for epilepsy. Specifically, studies were included if they reported neuropsychological outcomes and were concerned only with temporal lobe resection.Results: 73 studies met inclusion criteria. For reported neuropsychological outcomes, the majority of participants remained stable after surgery; some declined and some improved. There was some evidence for increased material-specific memory deficits after temporal lobe surgery based on resection side, and more positive cognitive outcome for those with lower pre-surgical ability level.Significance: Retrieved evidence highlights the need for improvements to quality of methodology and reporting. Appropriately designed prospective multicentre trials should be conducted with adequate follow-up for long-term outcomes to be measured. Core outcome measures should be agreed between centres. This would permit higher quality evidence so that clinicians, young people and their families may make better informed decisions about whether or not to proceed with surgery and likely post-operative profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new definition of epilepsy establishes that epilepsy is not only a disorder presenting with epileptic seizures but it can be often associated with cognitive and psychiatric comorbidities. In fact, the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities is relatively high in patients with epilepsy (PWE), as one in three patients will have experienced a psychiatric disorder in the course of their life, with mood and anxiety disorders being the most frequent. Psychiatric comorbidities often precede the onset of the seizure disorder, and affect the life of these patients and the course of the seizure disorder at several levels, including a worse tolerance of pharmacotherapy with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), in particular the development of iatrogenic psychiatric symptoms from pharmacologic and surgical treatments, an increased mortality risk, a worse quality of life and higher economic burdens of the patient, family and society as a hole. Accordingly, psychiatric comorbidities should be recognized at the time of the initial evaluation of every PWE and their treatment needs to be incorporated within the overall therapeutic plan. This question is addressed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the clinical significance of temporal pole abnormalities (temporopolar blurring, TB, and temporopolar atrophy, TA) detected by using 3 Tesla MRI in the preoperative workup in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy due to hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS) who underwent surgery.Methods: We studied 78 consecutive patients with TLE-HS who underwent surgery and were followed up for at least 2 years. Based on findings of pre-surgical 3 Tesla MRI, patients were subdivided in subgroups according to the presence of TB or TA. Subgroups were compared on demographic, clinical, neuropsychological data and seizure outcome.Results: TB was found in 39 (50%) patients, while TA was found in 32 (41%) patients, always ipsilateral to HS, with a considerable degree of overlap (69%) between TB and TA (p=0.01). Patients with temporopolar abnormalities did not significantly differ from those without TB or TA with regard to sex, age, age of epilepsy onset, duration of epilepsy, history of febrile convulsions or birth complications, side of surgery, seizure frequency at surgery, presence of GTCSs, and, in particular, seizure outcome. On the other hand, TB patients show a less frequent family history of epilepsy (p<.05) while age at epilepsy onset showed a trend to be lower in the TB group (p=.09). Patients with temporopolar atrophy did not significantly differ from those without TA on any variable, except for age at epilepsy onset, which was significantly lower for the TA group (p<.05). History of birth complications and longer duration of epilepsy also showed a trend to be associated with TA (p=.08). Multivariate analysis corroborated the association between temporopolar abnormalities and absence of family history of epilepsy and history of birth complications.Conclusions: High-field 3 T MRI in the preoperative workup for epilepsy surgery confirms that temporopolar abnormalities are frequent findings in TLE-HS patients and may be helpful to lateralize the epileptogenic zone. Their presence did not influence seizure outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Some studies have suggested that BAFF and BAFFR are highly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and participate in inflammatory and immune associated diseases. However, whether BAFF and BAFFR are involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the expression of BAFF and BAFFR proteins in the brains of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and in a pilocarpine-induced rat model of TLE to identify possible roles of the BAFF-BAFFR signaling pathway in epileptogenesis.Methods: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blot, immunohistochemistry, and double-immunofluorescence were performed in this study.Results: The results showed that BAFF and BAFFR expression levels were markedly up-regulated in intractable TLE patients and TLE rats. Moreover, BAFF and BAFFR proteins mainly highly expressed in the membranes and cytoplasms of the dendritic marker MAP2 in the cortex and hippocampus.Conclusion: Therefore, the significant increased in BAFF and BAFFR protein expression in both TLE patients and rats suggest that BAFF and BAFFR may play important roles in regulating the pathogenesis of epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Frequent interictal epileptiform abnormalities may correlate with poor prognosis after temporal lobe resection for refractory epilepsy. To date, studies have focused on limited resections such as selective amygdalohippocampectomy and apical temporal lobectomy without hippocampectomy. However, it is unclear whether the frequency of spikes predicts outcome after standard anterior temporal lobectomy.Method: Preoperative scalp video-EEG monitoring data from patients who subsequently underwent anterior temporal lobectomy over a three year period and were followed for at least one year were reviewed for the frequency of interictal epileptiform abnormalities. Surgical outcome for those patients with frequent spikes (>60/h) was compared with those with less frequent spikes. Additionally, spike frequency was evaluated as a continuous variable and correlated with outcome to determine if increased spike frequency correlated with worse outcome, as assessed by modified Engel Class outcome.Results: Forty-seven patients (18 men, 29 women; mean age 40 years at surgery) were included. Forty-six patients had standard anterior temporal lobectomy (24 right, 22 left) and one had a modified left temporal lobectomy. There was no significant difference in seizure outcome between those with frequent (57% Class I) vs. those with less frequent (58% Class I) spikes. Increased spike frequency did not correlate with worse outcome. Greater than 20 complex partial seizures/month and generalized tonic-clonic seizures within one year of surgery correlated with worse outcome.Conclusions: This study suggests that absolute spike frequency does not predict seizure outcome after anterior temporal lobectomy unlike in selective procedures, and should not be used as a prognostic factor in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social bonds are at the center of our daily living and are an essential determinant of our quality of life. In people with epilepsy, numerous factors can impede cognitive and affective functions necessary for smooth social interactions. Psychological and psychiatric complications are common in epilepsy and may hinder the processing of social information. In addition, neuropsychological deficits such as slowed processing speed, memory loss or attentional difficulties may interfere with enjoyable reciprocity of social interactions. We consider societal, psychological, and neuropsychological aspects of social life with particular emphasis on socio-cognitive functions in temporal lobe epilepsy. Deficits in emotion recognition and theory of mind, two main aspects of social cognition, are frequently observed in individuals with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Results from behavioural studies targeting these functions will be presented with a focus on their relevance for patients' daily life. Furthermore, we will broach the issue of pitfalls in current diagnostic tools and potential directions for future research. By giving a broad overview of individual and interpersonal determinants of social functioning in epilepsy, we hope to provide a basis for future research to establish social cognition as a key component in the comprehensive assessment and care of those with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We retrospectively evaluated the diagnostic value of (18)F-2-fluorodeoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) with statistical analysis for the foci detection and predictive utility for postsurgical seizure outcome of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE).Method: We evaluated 40 patients who were diagnosed mTLE and underwent selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SAH) or anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) in our institute. Preoperative interictal FDG-PET with statistical analysis using three-dimensional stereotactic surface projection (3D-SSP) was detected with several clinical data including seizure semiology, MRI, scalp electroencephalography, surgical procedure with SAH or ATL and postsurgical outcome. The region of interest (ROI) was defined on 'Hippocampus & Amygdala', 'Parahippocampal gyrus & Uncus', 'T1 & T2', and 'T3 & Fusiform gyrus'. We obtained the ratio of hypometabolism difference (RHD) by 3D-SSP, and evaluated the relation among hypometabolic extent, surgical outcome and surgical procedure.Result: The RHD in each ROIs ipsilateral to operative side was significantly higher than that of contralateral side in good outcome group. Hypometabolism of 'Hippocampus & Amygdala' was most reliable prognostic factor. Patients of discordant with presurgical examinations hardly showed obvious lateralized hypometabolism. Nevertheless, when they have significantly high RHD in mesial temporal lobe, good surgical outcome was expected. There was not significant difference of RHD distribution between SAH and ATL in good outcome group.Conclusion: Significant hypometabolism in mesial temporal lobe on FDG-PET with 3D-SSP is useful to predict good surgical outcome for patients with mTLE, particularly in discordant patients with hypometabolism in mesial temporal structure. However, FDG-PET is not indicative of surgical procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our main aim was to determine the time interval between the seizure onsets and arousal-awakening related to these seizures in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and to discuss the role of lateralization on arousal-awakening mechanisms.Methods: Thirty-three TLE patients who underwent video-EEG monitoring with simultaneous polysomnography (PSG) and had recorded nocturnal seizures were retrospectively examined. These TLE patients had 64 seizures during sleep. The onsets of seizures and arousal-awakening related to these seizures were marked according to clinical and electrophysiological features. The time interval between the seizure onset and arousal-awakening related to the seizure was compared in patients with right- or left-sided temporal lobe seizures.Results: In our TLE patients nocturnal seizures mostly followed arousal-awakening (64%). The time interval between the seizure onset and arousal-awakening related to the seizure was significantly shorter in patients with left-sided temporal lobe seizures (p=0.01).Conclusion: Video-EEG monitoring and PSG with scalp electrodes in our TLE patients showed that nocturnal seizures mostly followed arousal-awakening, and it was more pronounced in those with left-sided seizures. Arousal-awakening might be a signal for subsequent seizures in patients with TLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify predictors of postoperative seizure freedom in patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-negative temporal lobe epilepsy.Method: Publications were screened from electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE), epilepsy archives, and bibliographies of relevant articles that were written in English. We recorded all possible risk factors that might predict seizure outcome after surgery. We calculated odds ratio (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of predictors for postoperative seizure freedom. Heterogeneity was assessed with I(2). All meta-analyses were performed using Review Manager.Results: Epilepsy duration (OR=2.57, 95% CI=1.21-5.47, p<0.05, I(2)=1%) and ictal or interictal electroencephalographic anomalies precisely localized in the ipsilateral temporal lobe (OR=3.89, 95% CI=1.66-9.08, p<0.01, I(2)=0 and OR=3.38, 95% CI=1.57-7.25, p<0.05, I(2)=0, respectively) were significantly associated with a higher rate of seizure freedom after surgery. However, the positron emission tomography (PET) results were not predictive of postoperative seizure freedom (OR=2.11, 95% CI=0.95-4.65, p=0.06, I(2)=0). No significant difference in seizure freedom was observed between the positive and negative pathology groups (OR=1.36, 95% CI=0.70-2.63, p=0.36, I(2)=0).Conclusions: A shorter epilepsy duration and scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) signals localized precisely in the temporal lobe predicted a better seizure outcome in patients with MRI-negative temporal lobe epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aimed to assess whether engagement in a memory training programme and performing internet brain training exercises improve memory function in people with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).Methods: Seventy-seven people with TLE, complaining of memory difficulties, completed the study. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 67 years and 40 had left TLE. Participants were randomised to one of four conditions; Group 1: traditional memory training, Group 2: Lumosity, an on-line cognitive training programme, Group 3: traditional memory training and Lumosity, and Group 4: no training. Memory efficiency and mood were assessed at baseline and three months later.Results: Group analyses indicated improved verbal recall after training (p<0.001) and improved subjective ratings (p<0.007). More participants reported a lessening of the memory burden (p<0.007) after training; differences were significant between Groups 1 and 3 compared to Group 4. Lumosity use was not associated with changes in the memory outcome measures but there was a relationship with depression ratings and the number of memory games played (p<0.01). Conventional memory training, IQ, and post-surgical status were associated with positive memory outcomes.Conclusions: The study indicates traditional memory rehabilitation techniques can help reduce the burden of memory impairment in TLE. There was no evidence that Lumosity the on-line cognitive training programme had specific advantages. Positive change was not universal and larger studies will be required to explore factors associated with successful outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the clinical significance of temporal pole abnormalities (temporopolar blurring, TB, and temporopolar atrophy, TA) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and hippocampal sclerosis (HS) with a long post-surgical follow-up.Methods: We studied 60 consecutive patients with TLE-HS and 1.5 preoperative MRI scans who underwent surgery and were followed up for at least 5 years (mean follow-up 7.3 years). Based on findings of pre-surgical MRI, patients were classified according to the presence of TB or TA. Groups were compared on demographic, clinical, neuropsychological data, and seizure outcome.Results: TB was found in 37 (62%) patients, while TA was found in 35 (58%) patients, always ipsilateral to HS, with a high degree of overlap (83%) between TB and TA (p<0.001). Patients with TB did not differ from those without TB with regard to history of febrile convulsions, GTCSs, age of epilepsy onset, side of surgery, seizure frequency, seizure outcome, and neuropsychological outcome. On the other hand, they were significantly older, had a longer duration of epilepsy, and displayed lower preoperative scores on several neuropsychological tests. Similar findings were observed for TA. Multivariate analysis corroborated the association between temporopolar abnormalities and age at onset, age at surgery (for TB only), and lower preoperative scores on some neuropsychological tests.Conclusions: Temporopolar abnormalities are frequent in patients with TLE-HS. Our data support the hypothesis that TB and TA are caused by seizure-related damages. These abnormalities did not influence seizure outcome, even after a long-term post-surgical follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common variety of focal epilepsy among adults. The neuroinflammatory mechanisms of epilepsies may be involved in the genesis of seizures and refractory epilepsies, particularly in the case of progressive syndromes such as TLE associated with mesial hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS). The goal of the present study is investigate the genetic profile of susceptibility of individuals with TLE-HS by analyzing the possible association of TLE-HS with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1 alleles.Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 42 individuals with pharmacoresistant TLE-HS and 89 healthy controls. The typing of the HLA class II alleles from DRB1, DQB1, and DQA1 loci were analyzed using sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR) and identified through sequencing. Statistical analysis of relative allele frequencies was performed using an Excel spreadsheet; p-value, relative risk (RR), and odds ratio (OR) were calculated using the software Epi Info 6.0. p-values <0.05 following Bonferroni's method correction were considered statistically significant.Results: HLA-DRB1*13:02 was the only allele with a statistically significant difference (p=0.01) in frequency between patients and controls. However, the significance was lost following Bonferroni's method correction (p=0.44). The remainder of the alleles in the HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DQA1 regions did not exhibit any significant association.Conclusion: The allele HLA DRB1*13:02 has exhibited a tendency to behave as a susceptibility factor for TLE-HS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Temporal lobe epilepsy with antibodies (abs) against the glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 isoform (GAD-TLE) is known as an immune-mediated neurological syndrome. Here we evaluate the therapy response to various immunotherapies and epilepsy surgery in this syndrome. Method All patients with GAD-TLE and follow-up data and stored serum and CSF samples, identified and treated at the Bonn centre from 2002 to 2010, were studied retrospectively. Seizure freedom for ≥1 year and reduction of ≥50%, i.e. therapy response, were assessed. GAD-ab titres and neuropsychological performances were documented prior and after individual interventions. Results Thirteen patients with GAD-TLE were identified with the following seizure responses: corticosteroids (5 responders out of 11 treated patients); i.v. immunoglobulins (1/5), apheresis therapy (1/8); and natalizumab (1/1), selective amygdala-hippocampectomy (2/3). None of the patients achieved sustained seizure freedom apart from one patient. This patient was on antiepileptic drug treatment after discontinuation of immunotherapy. Conclusion The seizure response to immunotherapies in patients with GAD-TLE was poor. Corticosteroids were the most effective regarding seizure response. Especially the poor effects of apheresis therapies support the idea that GAD-abs are not directly pathogenic. None of three patients was seizure-free after temporal lobe surgery suggesting that GAD-TLE patients respond worse than others to this type of intervention. Our results reflect the chronic course of the disease with low likelihood for patients with GAD-TLE to attain long-term seizure freedom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To evaluate the demographic and clinical manifestations and postsurgical outcome of childhood-onset mesial temporal sclerosis and temporal lobe epilepsy (MTS-TLE) and establishing the potential differences as compared to the patients with adult-onset MTS-TLE. Method In this retrospective study all patients with a clinical diagnosis of medically refractory TLE due to mesial temporal sclerosis, who underwent epilepsy surgery at Jefferson comprehensive epilepsy center, were recruited. Patients were prospectively registered in a database from 1986 through 2014. Postsurgical outcome was classified into two groups; seizure-free or relapsed. Clinical manifestations and outcome were compared between patients with childhood-onset MTS-TLE (i.e., age at onset of the first afebrile habitual seizure below 10 years) and those with adult-onset MTS-TLE (i.e., age at onset of the first afebrile habitual seizure 20 years or above). Results One hundred and twelve patients had childhood-onset MTS-TLE and 76 had adult-onset MTS-TLE. Demographic, clinical, EEG and MRI characteristics of these two groups were similar. Postoperative outcome was not statistically different between these two groups of patients ( P = 0.9). Conclusion Temporal lobe epilepsy due to mesial temporal sclerosis is a common cause of epilepsy that can start from early childhood to late adulthood. The etiology of MTS-TLE may be different in various age groups, but it seems that when mesial temporal sclerosis is the pathological substrate of TLE, clinical manifestations and response to surgical treatment of patients are very similar in patients with childhood-onset MTS-TLE compared to those with adult-onset disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Neuroimaging is critical in deciding candidacy for epilepsy surgery. Currently imaging is primarily assessed qualitatively, which may affect patient selection and outcomes. Method The epilepsy surgery database at MGH was reviewed for temporal lobectomy patients from the last 10 years. Radiology reports for MRI and FDG-PET were compared to the epilepsy conference consensus. First, specific findings of ipsi/contra hippocampal atrophy and T2 signal changes were directly compared. Next the overall impression of presence of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) for MRI and temporal hypometabolism for PET was used for sensitivity/specificity analysis. To assess predictive power of imaging findings logistic regression was used. Results 104 subjects were identified. 70% of subjects were ILAE class I at 1-year. Radiology reports and the conference consensus differed in 31% of FDG-PET studies and 41% of MRIs. For PET most disagreement (50%) stemmed for discrepancy regarding contralateral temporal hypometabolism. For MRI discrepancy in ipsilateral hippocampal atrophy/T2 signal accounted for 59% of disagreements. When overall impression of the image was used the overall reliability between groups was high with only MRI sensitivity to detect HS (0.75 radiology, 0.91 conference, p = 0.02) was significantly different between groups. On logistic regression MRI was a significant predictor of HS, but still 36% of patients with normal MRI as read by both groups had HS on pathology. Conclusion Despite some difference in specific radiologic findings, overall accuracy for MRI and PET is similar in clinical practice between radiology and conference; nonetheless there are still cases of hippocampal pathology not detected by standard imaging methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]