Epilepsy research
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The seizure network may be different between temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (TLE+HS) and without HS (TLE-HS). Chronic seizure activity may alter the diffusion properties of a seizure network. The thalamus is known to have an anatomical connection to the medial temporal area and to play a role in seizure modulation. This study aimed to evaluate differences in thalamic changes between TLE+HS and TLE-HS with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). ⋯ Bilateral thalamic diffusion properties are altered in temporal lobe epilepsy. The presence of hippocampal sclerosis enhances the change ipsilaterally.
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To evaluate the cardiac repolarization indices in terms of QT intervals in patients with well-controlled partial epilepsy. ⋯ The results highlight the importance of cardiac evaluation even in patients with well-controlled epilepsy. 12-lead ECG recordings might help to uncover serious cardiovascular events.
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Brain stimulation with low-frequency stimulation (LFS) is emerging as an alternative treatment for refractory epilepsy. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of LFS targeting the hippocampal CA3 subfield in different modes on amygdala-kindled seizures in Sprague-Dawley rats. When fully kindled seizures were achieved by daily electrical stimulation of the amygdala, LFS (15 min train of 0.1 ms pulses at 1 Hz and 100 microA) of the CA3 was applied in several modes. ⋯ Interestingly, prior consecutive daily application of LFS in the absence of kindling stimulation did not reduce subsequent evoked seizures, but abolished the anti-epileptic effect of post-treatment. These results indicated that LFS of the CA3 is able to reduce kindled seizures in a mode-dependent manner without cumulative feature. The hippocampal CA3 subfield could be considered as a potential target for epilepsy treatment using LFS, and should be delivered in an appropriate stimulation mode.
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In the present study the effectiveness of different diazepam-ketamine combinations to control kainic acid-induced status epilepticus in rats was evaluated. We show that electrographic monitoring is mandatory to enable reliable assessment of status epilepticus control as the number of false positives is extremely high when status epilepticus control is only behaviourally assessed. Diazepam and ketamine synergistically blocked all electrographical seizure activity.
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Posttraumatic epilepsy is a common consequence of traumatic brain injury in humans. Major predictors for the development of posttraumatic epilepsy include the severity of injury and occurrence of cortical contusions. The effect of the size or location of the cortical lesion on the risk of epileptogenesis, however, is poorly understood. ⋯ Specifically, cortical lesions located at the level of the perirhinal, entorhinal, and postrhinal cortices were associated with a lowered seizure threshold and seizures. The severity of the cortical injury did not correlate with the severity of hippocampal damage. These findings indicate that, like in humans, the severity of cortical injury correlates with epileptogenesis and epilepsy in an experimental model of posttraumatic epilepsy.