Approximately 30%-40% of epilepsy patients do not respond well to adequate anti-seizure medications (ASMs), a condition known as pharmacoresistant epilepsy. The management of pharmacoresistant epilepsy remains an intractable issue in the clinic. Its early prediction is important for prevention and diagnosis. However, it still lacks effective predictors and approaches. Here, a classical model of pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was established to screen pharmacoresistant and pharmaco-responsive individuals by applying phenytoin to amygdaloid-kindled rats. Ictal electroencephalograms (EEGs) recorded before phenytoin treatment were analyzed. Based on ictal EEGs from pharmacoresistant and pharmaco-responsive rats, a convolutional neural network predictive model was constructed to predict pharmacoresistance, and achieved 78% prediction accuracy. We further found the ictal EEGs from pharmacoresistant rats have a lower gamma-band power, which was verified in seizure EEGs from pharmacoresistant TLE patients. Prospectively, therapies targeting the subiculum in those predicted as "pharmacoresistant" individual rats significantly reduced the subsequent occurrence of pharmacoresistance. These results demonstrate a new methodology to predict whether TLE individuals become resistant to ASMs in a classic pharmacoresistant TLE model. This may be of translational importance for the precise management of pharmacoresistant TLE.
Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/diagnosis* ; Animals ; Drug Resistant Epilepsy/drug therapy* ; Electroencephalography/methods* ; Rats ; Anticonvulsants/pharmacology* ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Male ; Humans ; Phenytoin/pharmacology* ; Adult ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Young Adult ; Convolutional Neural Networks

Stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) is widely used to record the electrical activity of patients' brain in clinical. The SEEG-based epileptogenic network can better describe the origin and the spreading of seizures, which makes it an important measure to localize epileptogenic zone (EZ). SEEG data from six patients with refractory epilepsy are used in this study. Five of them are with temporal lobe epilepsy, and the other is with extratemporal lobe epilepsy. The node outflow (out-degree) and inflow (in-degree) of information are calculated in each node of epileptic network, and the overlay between selected nodes and resected nodes is analyzed. In this study, SEEG data is transformed to bipolar montage, and then the epileptic network is established by using independent effective coherence (iCoh) method. The SEEG segments at onset, middle and termination of seizures in Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma rhythms are used respectively. Finally, the K-means clustering algorithm is applied on the node values of out-degree and in-degree respectively. The nodes in the cluster with high value are compared with the resected regions. The final results show that the accuracy of selected nodes in resected region in the Delta, Alpha and Beta rhythm are 0.90, 0.88 and 0.89 based on out-degree values in temporal lobe epilepsy patients respectively, while the in-degree values cannot differentiate them. In contrast, the out-degree values are higher outside the temporal lobe in the patient with extratemporal lobe epilepsy. Based on the out-degree feature in low-frequency epileptic network, this study provides a potential quantitative measure for identifying patients with temporal lobe epilepsy in clinical.
Brain Waves ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; diagnosis ; Humans

Previous studies have reported the association of prodynorphin (PDYN) promoter polymorphism with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) susceptibility, but the results remain inconclusive. To further precisely evaluate this association, we performed a meta-analysis. Published studies of TLE and PDYN polymorphism up to February 2015 were identified. Subgroup analysis by TLE subtype was performed. Moreover, sensitivity, heterogeneity, and publication bias were also analyzed. Seven case-control studies were finally included in this meta-analysis with 875 TLE cases and 1426 controls. We did not find synthetic evidence of association between PDYN promoter polymorphism and TLE susceptibility (OR=1.184, 95% CI: 0.873-1.606, P=0.277). Similar results were also obtained in non-familial-risk TLE subgroup. However, in the familial-risk TLE subgroup analysis, a significant association was observed (OR=1.739, 95% CI: 1.154-2.619, P=0.008). In summary, this meta-analysis suggests that PDYN gene promoter polymorphism might contribute to familial-risk TLE.
Case-Control Studies ; Enkephalins ; genetics ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Family ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Inheritance Patterns ; Odds Ratio ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Prognosis ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Protein Precursors ; genetics

Refractory gelastic seizure is one of the most common clinical manifestations in patients with hypothalamic hamartoma (HH) and HH is usually regarded as the epileptogenic focus. A young female patient with a small HH and refractory seizures is reported here. However, both the seizure semiology and results of electroencephalogram monitoring indicated the right temporal region was the epileptogenic focus. Thus a standard right anterior temporal lobectomy was performed while the hamartoma preserved. There was a marked improvement in both seizure frequency and quality of life during a 13-month follow-up. The outcome supported the concept that independent epileptogenic focus outside of the hypothalamus might occur in patients with HH.
Adult ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Hamartoma ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Humans ; Hypothalamic Diseases ; diagnosis ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the ability of interictal diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to localize the temporal lobe of seizure origin and to predict postoperative seizure control in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

METHODSTwenty-seven patients with intractable TLE considered for surgery and 19 healthy volunteers were studied with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DWI. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of bilateral hippocampi in both TLE patients and control subjects were obtained. Lateralization to either temporal lobe with hippocampal ADC was based on the threshold values derived from +/- SD of right/left ratios in normal subjects. And the postoperative pathology was reviewed.

RESULTSHippocampal ADCs were higher on the side of surgery compared with those on the contralateral side as well as the ipsilateral side in control subjects [resected side (109.8 +/- 7.3) x 10(-5) cm2/s, contralateral side (91.7 +/- 4.7) x 10(-5) cm2/s, control subjects (81.6 +/- 5.2) x 10(-5) cm2/s, all P < 0.01]. Right/left hippocampal ADC ratio and conventional MRI lateralized to the operated temporal lobe in 21 of 27 (77.8%) and in 18 of 27 (66.7%) patients. Lateralization to the surgical side was not associated with postoperative seizure control with right/left hippocampal ADC ratio (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSConventional MRI is a sensitive method to detect hippocampal sclerosis. Accuracy of the right/left hippocampal ADC ratio for lateralizing to the side of surgery is very high, but it isn't a better predictor of surgical outcome.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain ; anatomy & histology ; metabolism ; Child ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Seizures ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the function of central auditory, Speech-perception-in-noise test (SPIN test) was used to assess that whether temporal lobe epilepsy patients have central auditory processing disorders.

METHODSFour audiological test were performed in 9 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and 19 age-matched normal hearing persons as controls, which include pure tone audiometry, acoustic immittance measurement, ABR (auditory brainstem response) and SPIN test. All the temporal lobe epilepsy patients were performed by CT or MRI and diagnosed by the neurologists prior to the test. The testing materials of speech and noise in SPIN test was recorded in independent tracks and the S/N was identified by -25 dB by pre-experiment. In the test, every words were read twice and both the results were recorded.

RESULTSIn the ABR test, only wave V latency showed longer values in the left ear, other waves like I, III and inter-peak intervals had'nt shown significant statistical differences in both ears of temporal lobe epilepsy patients. However, in the SPIN test, there's no significant statistical differences in both left and right ears of the controls by the first-time hearing (P = 0.107), and the differences showed by the second-time hearing (P = 0.048); but in the comparison of both ears in temporal lobe epilepsy patients, both time of hearing showed no significant statistical differences with P = 0.174 and P = 0.163. In additional, the SPIN recognition score of the temporal lobe epilepsy patients, whether in the fist or second time hearing, whether in the monaural or binaural models, presented significant statistical differences compared to the controls (P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONSThere was no statistically significant difference in pure tone audiometry and ABR test for all the groups. But the speech recognition score obtained from SPIN test of tempol lobe epilepsy patients is lower than the normal persons, which has statistically significant difference. (P < 0.001) Then we can come to the conclusion that Temporal lobe epilepsy patients had central auditory dysfunctions and SPIN test is a sensitive way to assess this abnormal.

Adult ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Auditory Perception ; Case-Control Studies ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Female ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Noise ; Speech Perception ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The diagnosis of cortical dysplasia(CD) and microdysgenesis(MD) is valuable because they often cause childhood intractable epilepsy. This study is to analyze clinical manifestations, EEG findings, and imaging features based on the pathologic diagnosis(cortical dysplasia and microdysgenesis) in childhood intractable epilepsy with surgical treatment. METHODS: We performed retrospective studies and analyzed 27 patients with MCD diagnosed by pathologic findings after brain lobectomy for intractable epilepsy from October 2003 to September 2006 in our hospital. We compared their clinical characteristics, EEGs, neuroimaging studies including MRI, and FDG-PET. We analyzed the locations of malformations of cortical development(MCD). The surgical outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: There were no pathognomonic seizure types or EEG findings for microdysgenesis. The clinical and EEG features of microdysgenesis were similar to those of cortical dysplasia. Only 6(37 percent) out of 16 microdysgenesis patients showed normal MRI findings and also 2(18 percent) out of 10 cortical dysplasia patients showed normal MRI findings. The most common location of MCD was frontal lobe in both of the groups, followed by temporal lobe. 10(63%) out of 16 microdysgenesis patients and 9 (90%) out of 10 cortical dysplasia patients became seizure free. The locations of MCD was not related to the prognosis of the outcomes. All the patients who had had developmental delay showed improvement in development after the surgery. CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences in gender, seizure onset age, duration of seizures, seizure types, EEG findings, and MCD locations between CD and MD. The seizure outcomes were better in CD than in MD. All the patients whose pre- and post-oprative developmental status were compared showed developmental improvement.
Age of Onset ; Brain ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Electrophysiology* ; Epilepsy* ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Malformations of Cortical Development* ; Neuroimaging* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe

There are many medical causes of abdominal pain; abdominal epilepsy is one of the rarer causes. It is a form of temporal lobe epilepsy presenting with abdominal aura. Temporal lobe epilepsy is often idiopathic, however it may be associated with mesial temporal lobe sclerosis, dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors and other benign tumors, arterio-venous malformations, gliomas, neuronal migration defects or gliotic damage as a result of encephalitis. When associated with anatomical abnormality, abdominal epilepsy is difficult to control with medication alone. In such cases, appropriate neurosurgery can provide a cure or, at least, make this condition easier to treat with medication. Once all known intra-abdominal causes have been ruled out, many cases of abdominal pain are dubbed as functional. If clinicians are not aware of abdominal epilepsy, this diagnosis is easily missed, resulting in inappropriate treatment. We present a case report of a middle aged woman presenting with abdominal pain and episodes of unconsciousness. On evaluation she was found to have an intra-abdominal foreign body (needle). Nevertheless, the presence of this entity was insufficient to explain her episodes of unconsciousness. On detailed analysis of her medical history and after appropriate investigations, she was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy which was treated with appropriate medications, and which resulted in her pain being relieved.
Radiography, Abdominal ; Humans ; Foreign Bodies/pathology/*radiography ; Female ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Electroencephalography ; Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use ; Adult ; Abdominal Pain/drug therapy/*etiology/*radiography ; *Abdomen

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of topiramate on cerebral glucose metabolism, we performed 18F-fluorodeoxy glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in patients with new-onset epilepsy. METHODS: Thirteen patients with new-onset epilepsy or without medication after epilepsy diagnosis were included. Pre- and post-drug FDG-PET were performed (before and after topiramate administration) in all subjects (M/F=9/4, 28.2+/-11.4 years). For SPM analysis, paired pre- and linearly transformed post-drug FDG-PETs were spatially normalized into a standard PET template, provided in SPM-99, using a 12-parameter affine and a non-linear transformation. Spatially normalized images were then smoothed by convolution using an isotopic Gaussian kernel with a 14 mm full width at half maximum. The paired t-test was used to compare pre- and post-drug PET images. RESULTS: Mean dose of topiramate at the time of post-drug FDG-PET scanning was 163+/-71 mg. Mean duration of topiramate administration was 169+/-54 days. Responses to topiramate medication were seizure free in 7, reduced seizures in 3, and no changes in 3 patients. Reported adverse events were headache in 2 patients. SPM analysis between post-drug and pre-drug FDG-PET images showed post-drug hypometabolism in the white matters of both parietal and right temporal lobes, and corpus callosum, both thalami, right cingulate gyrus, left midbrain, both superior frontal gyri, left middle frontal gyrus, right inferior- and left superior parietal lobules, and left inferior temporal gyrus (corrected p<0.05). No brain region showed post-drug hypermetabolism. CONCLUSION: Topiramate reduced glucose metabolism more in the corpus callosum, thalamus and white matters, and less in the cerebral cortex.
Brain ; Cerebral Cortex ; Corpus Callosum ; Diagnosis ; Epilepsy ; Glucose* ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Headache ; Humans ; Mesencephalon ; Metabolism* ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Rabeprazole ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe ; Thalamus

PURPOSE: We developed a computer-aided classifier using artificial neural network (ANN) to discriminate the cerebral metabolic pattern of medial and lateral temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Materials and METHODS: We studied brain F-18-FDG PET images of 113 epilepsy patients sugically and pathologically proven as medial TLE (left 41, right 42) or lateral TLE (left 14, right 16). PET images were spatially transformed onto a standard template and normalized to the mean counts of cortical regions. Asymmetry indices for predefined 17 mirrored regions to hemispheric midline and those for medial and lateral temporal lobes were used as input features for ANN. ANN classifier was composed of 3 independent multi-layered perceptrons (1 for left/right lateralization and 2 for medial/lateral discrimination) and trained to interpret metabolic patterns and produce one of 4 diagnoses (L/R medial TLE or L/R lateral TLE). Randomly selected 8 images from each group were used to train the ANN classifier and remaining 81 images were used as test sets. The accuracy of the diagnosis with ANN was estimated by averaging the agreement rates of independent 50 trials and compared to that of nuclear medicine experts. RESULTS: The accuracy in lateralization was 89% by the human experts and 90% by the ANN classifier. Overall accuracy in localization of epileptogenic zones by the ANN classifier was 69%, which was comparable to that by the human experts (72%). CONCLUSION: We conclude that ANN classifier performed as well as human experts and could be potentially useful supporting tool for the differential diagnosis of TLE.
Artificial Intelligence ; Brain* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Discrimination (Psychology)* ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Humans ; Neural Networks (Computer) ; Nuclear Medicine ; Temporal Lobe*