Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Neurol 2020 Jul 10. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Center of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16 (Haus 95), 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of generalized convulsive seizure (GCS)-related fractures and injuries during video-EEG monitoring.

Methods: We analyzed all GCSs in patients undergoing video-EEG-monitoring between 2007 and 2019 at epilepsy centers in Frankfurt and Marburg in relation to injuries, falls and accidents associated with GCSs. Data were gathered using video material, EEG material, and a standardized reporting form. Read More

Neurology 2020 Jul 7. Epub 2020 Jul 7.

Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Objective: Study neural networks involved in hyperkinetic seizures (HKS) using ictal SPECT.

Methods: We retrospectively identified 18 HKS patients evaluated at Cleveland Clinic between 2005 - 2015 with video-EEG monitoring and ictal SPECT. Semiology was confirmed by the consensus of two epileptologists' independent review and classified as type I, II or III HKS. Read More

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2020 ;120(5):138-145

Research Clinical Institute of Pediatric of Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia.

A review of publications over the last two decades is presented. Psychogenic paroxysms develop in approximately 12% of patients with epilepsy. The analysis of social and demographic data, history details, semiological features and results of electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies does not unequivocally support the comorbidity of epilepsy and psychogenic paroxysms. Read More

Neurocase 2020 Jul 2:1-4. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Department of Neurology, University of South Alabama Medical Center , Mobile, AL, USA.

The diagnosis of atypical paroxysmal events represents a significant challenge for clinicians when differentiating epileptic from nonepileptic events. The ictal manifestations of pharyngeal dysesthesias are often misdiagnosed and difficult to distinguish clinically, given their subtle features such as pharyngeal discomfort with and without autonomic symptomology. We report a rare case of isolated ictal pharyngeal dysesthesias localizing to the non-dominant frontal operculum lobe misdiagnosed as psychogenic and later confirmed by continuous video-EEG monitoring. Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2020 Jun 26;111:107239. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Tours, France.

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) resemble epileptic seizures (ES) but are not caused by the occurrence of excessive cortical neuronal discharge. Previous studies in German-, English-, and Italian-speaking patients showed that patients used a different communicative style to talk about their seizures. They demonstrated that the diagnosis between PNES and ES could be predicted using qualitative assessment and a diagnostic scoring aid (DSA). Read More

J Vis Exp 2020 Jun 11(160). Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia; Department of Neurology, University of Virginia;

Hypoxia ischemia is the most common cause of neonatal seizures. Animal models are crucial for understanding the mechanisms and physiology underlying neonatal seizures and hypoxia ischemia. This manuscript describes a method for continuous video electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring in neonatal mice to detect seizures and analyze EEG background during hypoxia ischemia. Read More

Seizure 2020 Jun 18;80:161-165. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Neurology Department, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Roma, Italy. Electronic address:

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between seizure semiology and etiological factors in our population of neonates, in pointing out that specific kinds of clinical presentation are strictly related to specific etiologies.

Methods: We selected neonates which presented clinical seizures during video-EEG monitoring performed in Neonatal and Neurological Units between 2010 and 2017. We excluded patients with electrographic seizures only or video-EEGs of poor quality. Read More

Front Neurol 2020 2;11:461. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, "G. D'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are neurobehavioral conditions positioned in a gray zone, not infrequently a no-man land, that lies in the intersection between Neurology and Psychiatry. According to the DSM 5, PNES are a subgroup of conversion disorders (CD), while the ICD 10 classifies PNES as dissociative disorders. The incidence of PNES is estimated to be in the range of 1. Read More

Front Neurol 2020 2;11:432. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

Department of Neurology, Christian-Doppler Medical Centre, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.

Intracranially recorded high-frequency oscillations (>80 Hz) are considered a candidate epilepsy biomarker. Recent studies claimed their detectability on the scalp surface. We aimed to investigate the applicability of high-frequency oscillation analysis to routine surface EEG obtained at an epilepsy monitoring unit. Read More

Discoveries (Craiova) 2020 Jun 12;8(2):e110. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

CMH Lahore Medical College & Institute of Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan.

Epilepsy is a condition marked by abnormal neuronal discharges or hyperexcitability of neurons with synchronicity and is recognized as a major public health concern. The pathology is categorized into three subgroups: acquired, idiopathic, and epilepsy of genetic or developmental origin. There are approximately 1000 associated genes and the role of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) mediated inhibition, as well as glutamate mediated excitation, forms the basis of pathology. Read More

J Autoimmun 2020 Apr 10:102462. Epub 2020 Apr 10.

Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel. Electronic address:

Nodding Syndrome (NS) is a fatal pediatric epilepsy of unknown etiology, accompanied by multiple neurological impairments, and associated with Onchocerca volvulus (Ov), malnutrition, war-induced trauma, and other insults. NS patients have neuroinflammation, and ~50% have cross-reactive Ov/Leiomodin-1 neurotoxic autoimmune antibodies. RESULTS: Studying 30 South Sudanese NS patients and a similar number of healthy subjects from the same geographical region, revealed autoimmune antibodies to 3 extracellular peptides of ionotropic glutamate receptors in NS patients: AMPA-GluR3B peptide antibodies (86%), NMDA-NR1 peptide antibodies (77%) and NMDA-NR2 peptide antibodies (87%) (in either 1:10, 1:100 or 1:1000 serum dilution). Read More

J ECT 2020 Jun 12. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

ECT Service, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Seizure 2020 Jun 4;80:96-99. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, the Netherlands.

Purpose: Complete visual review of prolonged video-EEG recordings at an EMU (Epilepsy Monitoring Unit) is time consuming and can cause problems in times of paucity of educated personnel. In this study we aimed to show non inferiority for electroclinical diagnosis using sampled review in combination with EEG analysis softreferware (P13 software, Persyst Corporation), in comparison to complete visual review.

Method: Fifty prolonged video-EEG recordings in adults were prospectively evaluated using sampled visual EEG review in combination with automated detection software of the complete EEG record. Read More

Seizure 2020 May 18. Epub 2020 May 18.

Department of Developmental Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Przybyszewskiego 49, 60-355 Poznan, Poland. Electronic address:

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of a standardized placebo protocol using a moist swab pad application in children and adolescents with psychogenic seizures vs epileptic seizures.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data and video-EEG monitoring records with the standardized placebo protocol of 408 patients. Video -EEG diagnosis with PNES-consistent semiology was made in the context of clinical data by a two-certified epileptologist. Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2020 Jun 12;111:107197. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Service de Neurologie, CHRU de NANCY et Pole Universitaire Adulte Du Grand Nancy, CPN, Laxou, France. Electronic address:

Purpose: We conducted a multicenter international cross-cultural comparative study to investigate clinical semiology and predisposing factors of functional seizures in a large cohort of patients living in different countries around the world. We hypothesized that semiology and predisposing factors of functional seizures differ between various world regions.

Methods: We conducted this retrospective observational study in adults with functional seizures admitted to epilepsy centers in Iran, Qatar, USA, France, Georgia, Egypt, and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2020 Jun 10;111:107194. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 125 Paterson Street 7th Floor, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States.

Video-electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring in the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) is essential for managing epilepsy and seizure mimics. Evaluation of care in the EMU would benefit from a validated code set capable of identifying EMU admissions from administrative databases comprised of large, diverse cohorts. We assessed the ability of code-based queries to parse EMU admissions from administrative billing records in a large academic medical center over a four-year period, 2016-2019. Read More

Biol Psychol 2020 Jun 10;154:107918. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova Italy.

Starting from the evidence that complex tasks (e.g., driving) require lots of cognitive resources, this research aims at assessing the change of attentional electrophysiological correlates during an oddball task performed while driving a simulator. Read More

Epilepsia Open 2020 Jun 14;5(2):198-212. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics College of Medicine Texas A&M University Health Science Center Bryan TX USA.

Objective: Organophosphates (OPs) such as diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) and soman are lethal chemical agents that can produce seizures, refractory status epilepticus (SE), and brain damage. There are few optimal treatments for late or refractory SE. Phenobarbital is a second-line drug for SE, usually after lorazepam, diazepam, or midazolam have failed to stop SE. Read More

Epilepsia 2020 Jun 9. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Epilepsy Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Objective: People with epilepsy (PWE) are frequently unable to recall the core manifestation of their disease, epileptic seizures. This means that seizure frequency is often underestimated by practitioners and that seizure classification based on reports of patients or their relatives is difficult because seizure semiology remains unclear. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to prospectively explore patients' memory regarding seizure elements and to assess the role of seizure types. Read More

J Clin Neurophysiol 2020 May 26. Epub 2020 May 26.

Brain Sentinel, Inc., San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A.

Purpose: Epileptic seizures (ES) and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are difficult to differentiate when based on a patient's self-reported symptoms. This study proposes review of objective data captured by a surface electromyography (sEMG) wearable device for classification of events as ES or PNES. This may help clinicians accurately identify ES and PNES. Read More

Epilepsy Res 2020 Aug 21;164:106364. Epub 2020 May 21.

4BRAIN, Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address:

Background And Purpose: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a known risk factor for the development of seizures, but little is known about the pathophysiology of seizures in the acute phase post-ICH and their influence on functional outcome. With the use of an animal model, the underlying pathophysiology could be further unraveled. The aim of our study was to optimize the rat collagenase stroke model for the detection of acute symptomatic seizures using video-EEG monitoring. Read More

Arch Toxicol 2020 Jun 3. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.

Partial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) has an intrauterine developmental origin. This study was aimed at elucidating the heritable effects and programming mechanism of TLE in offspring rats induced by prenatal dexamethasone exposure (PDE). Pregnant Wistar rats were injected subcutaneously with dexamethasone (0. Read More

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2020 ;120(4):51-59

Federal Center for Cerebrovascular Pathology and Stroke, Moscow, Russia.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of antiepileptic therapy of epileptic syndromes associated with myoclonic seizures.

Material And Methods: One hundred and three patients with epilepsy, in whom myoclonic seizures were identified during the observation, were examined. The observed myoclonic seizures entered the structure of 11 different epileptic syndromes. Read More

Brain Inform 2020 May 29;7(1). Epub 2020 May 29.

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Eindhoven University of Technology, TU/e, P.O.Box: 513, 5600MB, Eindhoven, NL, The Netherlands.

Epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) often show over-lap in symptoms, especially at an early disease stage. During a PNES, the electrical activity of the brain remains normal but in case of an epileptic seizure the brain will show epileptiform discharges on the electroencephalogram (EEG). In many cases an accurate diagnosis can only be achieved after a long-term video monitoring combined with EEG recording which is quite expensive and time-consuming. Read More

Circ Res 2020 May 28. Epub 2020 May 28.

Cardiology, University of Minnesota, UNITED STATES.

Assessing the relative contributions of cardioinhibition and vasodepression to the blood pressure (BP) decrease in tilt-induced vasovagal syncope (T-VVS) requires methods that reflect BP physiology accurately. To assess the relative contributions of cardioinhibition and vasodepression to T-VVS using novel methods. We studied the parameters determining BP, i. Read More

Epilepsia 2020 May 27. Epub 2020 May 27.

Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.

Objective: Movement-based wearable sensors are used for detection of convulsive seizures. The identification of the absence of motion following a seizure, known as post-ictal immobility (PI), may represent a potential additional application of wearables. PI has been associated with potentially life-threatening complications and with sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Read More

J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 2020 May 22;104:106874. Epub 2020 May 22.

UCB Biopharma SRL, chemin du Foriest, Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium.

Introduction: Several compounds from a neuroscience project induced convulsions in animals, at low exposure levels via a hypothetical off-target mechanism. A set of in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted in order to 1) identify the mechanism behind convulsions; 2) characterize the convulsions, 3) detect premonitory signs that could be monitored clinically, and 4) assess the development of tolerance after repeat dosing.

Methods: Patch clamp assays were conducted on 12 different ion channels (e. Read More

Pediatr Neurol 2020 Jul 26;108:40-46. Epub 2020 Apr 26.

Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.

Continuous video electroencephalography (CEEG) monitoring of critically ill infants and children has expanded rapidly in recent years. Indications for CEEG include evaluation of patients with altered mental status, characterization of paroxysmal events, and detection of electrographic seizures, including monitoring of patients with limited neurological examination or conditions that put them at high risk for electrographic seizures (e.g. Read More

Anesth Analg 2020 May 19. Epub 2020 May 19.

Healthcare systems are belligerently responding to the new Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS co-V2) is a specific condition, whose distinctive features are severe hypoxemia associated with (>50% of cases) normal respiratory system compliance. When a patient requires intubation and invasive ventilation the outcome is poor and the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) is usually two or three weeks. Read More

Clin EEG Neurosci 2020 May 18:1550059420921712. Epub 2020 May 18.

Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) Munich, Epilepsy Center, Munich, Germany.

. To evaluate the congruence or discrepancy of the localization of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions with interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) or epileptic seizure patterns (ESPs) in surface EEG in lesional pediatric epilepsy patients. . Read More

Epilepsy Behav 2020 Aug 14;109:107128. Epub 2020 May 14.

Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: The goal of this study was to identify a strategy for antiepileptic drug (AED) reduction to allow efficient recording of focal seizures (FS) in patients undergoing video-electroencephalography (EEG) in an epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) while avoiding the risk of complications associated with more severe seizure types.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients admitted to our institution's EMU from July 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017. We included 114 presurgical patients who had AEDs reduced and at least one seizure during the admission. Read More

Zh Vopr Neirokhir Im N N Burdenko 2020 ;84(2):51-64

Burdenko Neurosurgical Center, Moscow, Russia.

Introduction: Paradoxical air embolism (PAE) is a rare potentially fatal complication followed by entering of air emboli from the right cardiac chambers and pulmonary artery to large circulation circle.

Objective: To analyze five patients who underwent neurosurgical intervention complicated by PAE and early postoperative convulsive syndrome.

Material And Methods: There were five patients who developed early postoperative convulsive syndrome after previous neurosurgery in sitting position complicated by PAE. Read More

Neurology 2020 Jun 12;94(24):e2567-e2576. Epub 2020 May 12.

From the Department of Clinical Neurophysiology (A.A.A., P.W., S.B.), Danish Epilepsy Centre, Dianalund, Denmark; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (A.A.A.), "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania; FORCE Technology (I.C.), Hørsholm, Denmark; Brain Sentinel (D.P.C., L.E.W., S.R.V.), San Antonio, TX; Department of Clinical Medicine (P.W.), Neurological Service, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Center for SUDEP Research (S.L.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD; Department of Neurology (S.L.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (P.R.), CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Clinical Neurophysiology (S.B.), Aarhus University Hospital; and Department of Clinical Medicine (S.B.), Aarhus University, Denmark.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that neurophysiologic biomarkers of muscle activation during convulsive seizures reveal seizure severity and to determine whether automatically computed surface EMG parameters during seizures can predict postictal generalized EEG suppression (PGES), indicating increased risk for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. Wearable EMG devices have been clinically validated for automated detection of generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Our goal was to use quantitative EMG measurements for seizure characterization and risk assessment. Read More

Epilepsia 2020 May 7. Epub 2020 May 7.

Department of Neurophysiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.

Although several validated seizure detection algorithms are available for convulsive seizures, detection of nonconvulsive seizures remains challenging. In this phase 2 study, we have validated a predefined seizure detection algorithm based on heart rate variability (HRV) using patient-specific cutoff values. The validation data set was independent from the previously published data set. Read More

Epileptic Disord 2020 Apr;22(2):165-175

Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Department of Neurology, Hospital de Santa Maria (CHULN), Lisbon,, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon.

This study aimed to characterize, clinically and neurophysiologically, a series of patients with gelastic seizures (GS), including both adults and children. We retrospectively collected patients with GS from epilepsy clinics of five tertiary hospital centres within a single country. Patients were selected through relatives'/caregivers' descriptions, home video and/or video-EEG monitoring. Read More

J Neurotrauma 2020 Jun 26. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.

Prognostic biomarkers for post-injury outcome are necessary for the development of neuroprotective and antiepileptogenic treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI). We hypothesized that T relaxation magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) predicts the progression of perilesional cortical pathology and epileptogenesis. The EPITARGET animal cohort used for MRI analysis included 120 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats with TBI induced by lateral fluid-percussion injury and 24 sham-operated controls. Read More

Epileptic Disord 2020 Apr;22(2):225-228

Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital,, Neurology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.

Transient epileptic amnesia (TEA) is a distinct syndrome affecting middle-aged persons without concurrent brain disease or disposition to epileptic seizures. Seizures are characterized by amnesia, usually lasting less than one hour, and interictal memory deficits that are common. Effective antiseizure treatment is usually rapid in patients with TEA, which underlines the need for prompt diagnosis. Read More

BMC Public Health 2020 Mar 23;20(1):380. Epub 2020 Mar 23.

Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Research Unit for Exercise Epidemiology, Centre of Research in Childhood Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark.

Background: During the recent decade presence of digital media, especially handheld devices, in everyday life, has been increasing. Survey data suggests that children and adults spend much of their leisure on screen media, including use of social media and video services. Despite much public debate on possible harmful effects of such behavioral shifts, evidence from rigorously conducted randomized controlled trials in free-living settings, investigating the efficacy of reducing screen media use on physical activity, sleep, and physiological stress, is still lacking. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2020 Jun 10;76:243-245. Epub 2020 Apr 10.

Department of Pediatrics, NHO, National Epilepsy Center, Shizuoka Institute of Epilepsy and Neurological Disorders, 886 Urushiyama, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka 420-8688, Japan.

Alice in wonderland syndrome (AIWS) is a rare perceptual disorder characterized by subjective distortions of visual and somatosensory perception. Symptoms of AIWS are attributable to functional and structural changes of the visual and somatosensory perceptual system; however, few reports have investigated the pathophysiology of AIWS with regard to epilepsy, especially ictal electroencephalogram (EEG) changes. Herein, we describe the case of an 82-year-old woman with focal onset epilepsy presenting with AIWS, whose seizures were documented by video-EEG monitoring. Read More

Mol Genet Metab 2020 Jun 19;130(2):110-117. Epub 2020 Mar 19.

Reference Center of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Necker Enfants Malades Hospital, APHP, Imagine Institute, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.

Purpose: We aimed to identify prognostic factors for survival and long-term intellectual and developmental outcome in neonatal patients with early-onset urea cycle disorders (UCD) experiencing hyperammonaemic coma.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed ammonia (NH3) and glutamine levels, electroencephalogram and brain images obtained during neonatal coma of UCD patients born between 1995 and 2011 and managed at a single centre and correlated them to survival and intellectual and developmental outcome.

Results: We included 38 neonates suffering from deficiencies of argininosuccinate synthetase (ASSD, N = 12), ornithine transcarbamylase (OTCD, N = 10), carbamoylphosphate synthetase 1 (CPSD, N = 7), argininosuccinate lyase (ASLD, N = 7), N-acetylglutamate synthase (NAGS, N = 1) or arginase (ARGD, N = 1). Read More

Expert Rev Neurother 2020 May 4;20(5):459-475. Epub 2020 Apr 4.

Chair of Pediatrics, Child Neurology, NESMOS Department, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, c/o Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy.

: Some neurologic conditions that can quickly and with low costs be recognized, classified and treated thanks to the availability of an EEG recording in an emergency setting. However, although considered a cheap, not invasive, highly accurate diagnostic investigation, still today, an EEG recording in emergency, in real time during the event paroxysmal ictal phase, is not yet been become a routine.: This review will cover the role and utility of EEG recording in the emergency setting, both in emergency department and intensive care unit, in adult and pediatric age, in people admitted for status epilepticus (convulsive or non-convulsive), paroxysmal non-epileptic events, or other conditions/diseases presenting with mental status changes. Read More

Glia 2020 Apr 2. Epub 2020 Apr 2.

Institute of Cellular Neurosciences, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.

The astroglial gap junctional network formed by connexin (Cx) channels plays a central role in regulating neuronal activity and network synchronization. However, its involvement in the development and progression of epilepsy is not yet understood. Loss of interastrocytic gap junction (GJ) coupling has been observed in the sclerotic hippocampus of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) and in mouse models of MTLE, leading to the suggestion that it plays a causative role in the pathogenesis. Read More

Neurocase 2020 04 31;26(2):98-102. Epub 2020 Mar 31.

Department of Human Neurosciences, Neurology Unit, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Psychiatric disorders represent common comorbidities in epileptic patients. Sometimes anxiety is part of the ictal semiology, especially during seizures arising from/involving frontal or temporal lobes. We describe a patient with focal epilepsy and recurrent hyperkinetic seizures who also presented prolonged episodes characterized by massive anxiety, alarm and fear. Read More

J Pediatr 2020 Jun 25;221:81-87.e1. Epub 2020 Mar 25.

Division of Pediatric Neurology, Ann Arbor, MI; Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

Objective: To evaluate whether features of the early electroencephalographic (EEG) background could guide the optimal duration of continuous video EEG monitoring for seizure detection in newborn infants treated with therapeutic hypothermia for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of 114 consecutive infants treated with therapeutic hypothermia for moderate to severe HIE at a level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between 2012 and 2018. All infants were monitored with continuous video EEG through cooling and rewarming. Read More

CNS Drugs 2020 May;34(5):545-553

Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Center of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Goethe-University Frankfurt, University Hospital Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16, Haus 95, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Background: An efficient, well tolerated, and safe emergency treatment with a rapid onset of action is needed to prevent seizure clusters and to terminate prolonged seizures and status epilepticus.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of intranasal midazolam (in-MDZ) spray in clinical practice.

Methods: In this retrospective, multicenter observational study, we evaluated all patients with peri-ictal application of in-MDZ during video-EEG monitoring at the epilepsy centers in Frankfurt and Marburg between 2 014 and 2017. Read More

Ital J Pediatr 2020 Mar 27;46(1):36. Epub 2020 Mar 27.

Child Neuropsychiatric Unit - Epilepsy Center, San Paolo Hospital, Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy.

Background: Seizures in individuals affected by tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) commonly develop in the first year of life, are often preceded by a progressive deterioration of the electroencephalogram (EEG), and likely influence developmental outcome. Although early diagnosis of TSC has offered a tremendous opportunity to monitor affected patients before seizure onset, reports of the neurological manifestations of TSC in infants before seizure onset are still scarce. Here we describe early EEG activity, clinical and genetic data and developmental assessment in a group of TSC infants, with the aim of identifying possible prognostic factors for neurodevelopmental outcome. Read More

J Safety Res 2020 02 14;72:173-187. Epub 2020 Jan 14.

School of Aviation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Introduction: Fatigue is one of the most crucial factors that contribute to a decrease of the operating performance of aircraft pilots and car drivers and, as such, plays a dangerous role in transport safety. To reduce fatigue-related tragedies and to increase the quality of a healthy life, many studies have focused on exploring effective methods and psychophysiological indicators for detecting and monitoring fatigue. However, those fatigue indicators rose many discrepancies among simulator and field studies, due to the vague conceptualism of fatigue, per se, which hinders the development of fatigue monitoring devices. Read More

J Neurosurg Pediatr 2020 Mar 20:1-8. Epub 2020 Mar 20.

4Neuroscience Research, and.

Objective: The authors' goal was to prospectively quantify the impact of resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) on pediatric epilepsy surgery planning.

Methods: Fifty-one consecutive patients (3 months to 20 years old) with intractable epilepsy underwent rs-fMRI for presurgical evaluation. The team reviewed the following available diagnostic data: video-electroencephalography (n = 51), structural MRI (n = 51), FDG-PET (n = 42), magnetoencephalography (n = 5), and neuropsychological testing (n = 51) results to formulate an initial surgery plan blinded to the rs-fMRI findings. Read More

Epilepsia 2020 Apr 18;61(4):617-626. Epub 2020 Mar 18.

First Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of pregabalin as adjunctive treatment for children (aged 1 month-<4 years) with focal onset seizures (FOS) using video-electroencephalography (V-EEG).

Methods: This randomized, placebo-controlled, international study included V-EEG seizure monitoring (48-72 hours) at baseline and over the last 3 days of 14-day (5-day dose escalation; 9-day fixed dose) double-blind pregabalin treatment (7 or 14 mg/kg/d in three divided doses). This was followed by a double-blind 1-week taper. Read More

Front Cell Neurosci 2020 26;14:33. Epub 2020 Feb 26.

Oscar Langendorff Institute of Physiology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.

Purpose: Epilepsy therapy is currently based on anti-seizure drugs that do not modify the course of the disease, i.e., they are not anti-epileptogenic in nature. Read More