The Association of Therapeutic Hypothermia With Seizure Burden in Neonates With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

OBJECTIVES

To compare seizure burden between newborn infants treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and those that were not and to compare the need for antiseizure medications (ASM) in a cohort of infants who were diagnosed with neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study on infants born after 35 weeks' gestation, diagnosed with moderate to severe HIE, monitored with amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) and eligible for TH. Infants born before the implementation of TH in 2008 were compared with infants born thereafter who received TH. Seizure burden was assessed from aEEG as total time in minutes of seizures activity per hour of recording. Other clinical and demographic data were retrieved from a prospective local database of infants with HIE.

RESULTS

Overall, 149 of 207 infants were included in the study: 112 exposed to TH and 37 not exposed. Cooled infants had a lower seizure burden overall (0.4 vs 2.3 min/h, P < 0.001) and were also less likely to be treated with ASM (74% vs 100%, P < 0.001). In multivariable regression models, not exposed to TH, having a depressed aEEG background, and having higher Apgar scores were associated with higher seizure burden (incidence rate ratio: 4.78 for noncooled infants, P < 0.001); also, not exposed to TH was associated with a higher likelihood of multidrug ASM (odds ratio: 4.83, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

TH in infants with moderate to severe HIE is associated with significant reduction of seizure burden and ASM therapy.

Right temporoparietal junction transcranial direct current stimulation in the treatment of functional dissociative seizures: a case series

Functional dissociative seizures (FDSs) are clinical events that resemble epileptic seizures but are not associated with abnormal brain electrical discharges or other physiological problems. In this pilot case series, ten adults with FDSs were recruited from our psychiatry department after being referred by a neurologist who made the diagnosis of FDS based on video EEG results. Each subject received ten sessions of cathodal tDCS focused on the right temporoparietal junction. A significant decrease in weekly seizure frequency was seen in all participants between baseline (30.2 ± 70.3 events) and 1 month after tDCS treatment (0.2 ± 0.3events) (p = 0.006). Main predisposing factors were unchanged after treatment.

Closed-loop stimulation in periods with less epileptiform activity drives improved epilepsy outcomes

In patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, electrical stimulation of the brain in response to epileptiform activity can make seizures less frequent and debilitating. This therapy, known as closed-loop responsive neurostimulation (RNS), aims to directly halt seizure activity via targeted stimulation of a burgeoning seizure. Rather than immediately stopping seizures as they start, many RNS implants produce slower, long-lasting changes in brain dynamics that better predict clinical outcomes. Here we hypothesize that stimulation during brain states with less epileptiform activity drives long-term changes that restore healthy brain networks. To test this, we quantified stimulation episodes during low- and high-risk brain states-that is, stimulation during periods with a lower or higher risk of generating epileptiform activity-in a cohort of 40 patients treated with RNS. More frequent stimulation in tonic low-risk states and out of rhythmic high-risk states predicted seizure reduction. Additionally, stimulation events were more likely to be phase-locked to prolonged episodes of abnormal activity for intermediate and poor responders when compared to super-responders, consistent with the hypothesis that improved outcomes are driven by stimulation during low-risk states. These results support the hypothesis that stimulation during low-risk periods might underlie the mechanisms of RNS, suggesting a relationship between temporal patterns of neuromodulation and plasticity that facilitates long-term seizure reduction.

'Knowledge exchange' workshops to optimise development of a risk prediction tool to assist conveyance decisions for suspected seizures - Part of the Risk of ADverse Outcomes after a Suspected Seizure (RADOSS) project

PURPOSE

Suspected seizures present challenges for ambulance services, with paramedics reporting uncertainty over whether or not to convey individuals to emergency departments. The Risk of ADverse Outcomes after a Suspected Seizure (RADOSS) project aims to address this by developing a risk assessment tool utilizing structured patient care record and dispatch data. It proposes a tool that would provide estimates of an individual's likelihood of death and/or recontact with emergency care within 3 days if conveyed compared to not conveyed, and the likelihood of an 'avoidable attendance' occurring if conveyed. Knowledge Exchange workshops engaged stakeholders to resolve key design uncertainties before model derivation.

METHOD

Six workshops involved 26 service users and their significant others (epilepsy or nonepileptic attack disorder), and 25 urgent and emergency care clinicians from different English ambulance regions. Utilizing Nominal Group Techniques, participants shared views of the proposed tool, benefits and concerns, suggested predictors, critiqued outcome measures, and expressed functionality preferences. Data were analysed using Hamilton's Rapid Analysis.

RESULTS

Stakeholders supported tool development, proposing 10 structured variables for predictive testing. Emphasis was placed on the tool supporting, not dictating, care decisions. Participants highlighted some reasons why RADOSS might struggle to derive a predictive model based on structured data alone and suggested some non-structured variables for future testing. Feedback on prediction timeframes for service recontact was received, along with advice on amending the 'avoidable attendance' definition to prevent the tool's predictions being undermined by potential overuse of certain investigations in hospital.

CONCLUSION

Collaborative stakeholder engagement provided crucial insights that can guide RADOSS to develop a user-aligned, optimized tool.

Treatable inherited metabolic epilepsies

Inherited metabolic epilepsies (IMEs) represent inherited metabolic disorders predominately presenting with seizures. While most IMEs are currently managed with symptomatic and supportive therapies, some are amenable to disorder-specific targeted treatments. In most cases, these treatments are effective only if given in a narrow time window early in the lives of affected patients. Hence, prompt recognition of treatable inherited metabolic epilepsies at an early age and as soon as symptoms appear has paramount importance. Herein, we provide an overview of inherited metabolic epilepsies, which presently have established targeted treatments showing clinical efficacy in reducing seizure burden and improving neurodevelopmental outcomes. These therapeutic modalities range from specific diets, vitamins, and supplementation of organic compounds to synthetic pharmacological agents and novel genetic-based therapies that alter the biochemical pathways of these disorders at the cellular or molecular level, steering them to their normal function.

On-scene time delays for epileptic seizures in developed community-based integrated care system regions

BACKGROUND

Delayed on-scene time by emergency medical services (EMS) can have detrimental effects on critical cases for people with epilepsy (PWE). In preparation for a super-aged society, a Community-based Integrated Care System is crucial to manage healthcare costs. However, sufficient coordination irrespective of sociomedical changes among medical providers is challenging.

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate on-scene time delays in the treatment of PWE, identify factors associated with such delays, and clarify regional differences. The focus was on the volume of acute care beds in regions with a developed Community-based Integrated Care System.

METHODS

This population-based observational study evaluated on-scene time delays in the treatment of PWE across six major cities in western Japan between 2017 and 2021. In addition, we also evaluated the association between regional differences focusing on volume of acute care beds ("Reduced region" and "Preserved region", as cities with numbers of acute care beds per 1,000 people below and above the national average, respectively) along with sociomedical factors associated with on-scene time delays.

RESULTS

This study included 8,737 PWE transported by EMS, with a mean on-scene time for EMS ranging from 12.9 ± 6.8 min to 21.7 ± 10.6 min. On-scene time delays were evident in Reduced regions, with an increase of 1.45 min (95 % confidence interval 0.86-2.03 min, p < 0.001). A high total EMS call volume independently influenced on-scene time delays during the middle period of the pandemic in Reduced regions.

CONCLUSION

Optimal coordination must be facilitated to ensure the effective functioning of the Community-based Integrated Care System, particularly during unusual circumstances.

Expert opinion on diagnosis and management of epilepsy-associated comorbidities

Apart from seizure freedom, the presence of comorbidities related to neurological, cardiovascular, or psychiatric disorders is the largest determinant of a reduced health-related quality of life in people with epilepsy (PwE). However, comorbidities are often underrecognized and undertreated, and clinical management of comorbid conditions can be challenging. The focus of a comprehensive treatment regimen should maximize seizure control while optimizing clinical management of treatable comorbidities to improve a person's quality of life and overall health. A panel of four European epileptologists with expertise in their respective fields of epilepsy-related comorbidities combined the latest available scientific evidence with clinical expertise and collaborated to provide consensus practical advice to improve the identification and management of comorbidities in PwE. This review provides a critical evaluation for the diagnosis and management of sleep-wake disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cognitive dysfunction, and depression in PwE. Whenever possible, clinical data have been provided. The PubMed database was the main search source for the literature review. The deleterious pathophysiological processes underlying neurological, cardiovascular, or psychiatric comorbidities in PwE interact with the processes responsible for generating seizures to increase cerebral and physiological dysfunction. This can increase the likelihood of developing drug-resistant epilepsy; therefore, early identification of comorbidities and intervention is imperative. The practical evidence-based advice presented in this article may help clinical neurologists and other specialist physicians responsible for the care and management of PwE.

Adenosine kinase gene modified mesenchymal stem cell transplantation retards seizure severity and associated cognitive impairment in a temporal lobe epilepsy rat model

PURPOSE

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) has a high risk of developing drug resistant and cognitive comorbidities. Adenosine has potential anticonvulsant effects as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, but drugs targeting its receptors and metabolic enzyme has inevitable side effects. Therefore, we investigated adenosine augmentation therapy for seizure control and cognitive comorbidities in TLE animals.

METHODS

Using lentiviral vectors coexpressing miRNA inhibiting the expression of adenosine kinase (ADK), we produced ADK--rMSC (ADK knockdown rat mesenchymal stem cell). ADK--rMSC and LV-con-rMSC (rMSC transduced by randomized scrambled control sequence) were transplanted into the hippocampus of TLE rat respectively. ADK-+DPCPX group was transplanted with ADK--rMSC and intraperitoneally injected with DPCPX (adenosine A1 receptor antagonist). Seizure behavior, EEG, CA1 pyramidal neuron apoptosis, and behavior in Morris water maze and novel object recognition test were studied RESULTS: Adenosine concentration in the supernatants of 105 ADK--rMSCs was 13.8 ng/ml but not detectable in LV-con-rMSCs. ADK--rMSC (n = 11) transplantation decreased spontaneous recurrent seizure (SRS) duration compared to LV-con-rMSC (n = 11, P < 0.05). CA1 neuron apoptosis was decreased in ADK--rMSC (n = 3, P < 0.05). ADK--rMSC (n = 11) improved the Morris water maze performance of TLE rats compared to LV-con-rMSC (n = 11, escape latency, P < 0.01; entries in target quadrant, P < 0.05). The effect of ADK--rMSC on neuron apoptosis and spatial memory were counteracted by DPCPX. However, ADK--rMSC didn't improve the performance in novel object recognition test.

CONCLUSION

Adenosine augmentation-based ADK--rMSC transplantation is a promising therapeutic candidate for TLE and related cognitive comorbidities.

Anti-seizure gene therapy for focal cortical dysplasia

Focal cortical dysplasias are a common subtype of malformation of cortical development, which frequently presents with a spectrum of cognitive and behavioural abnormalities as well as pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Focal cortical dysplasia type II is typically caused by somatic mutations resulting in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) hyperactivity, and is the commonest pathology found in children undergoing epilepsy surgery. However, surgical resection does not always result in seizure freedom, and is often precluded by proximity to eloquent brain regions. Gene therapy is a promising potential alternative treatment and may be appropriate in cases that represent an unacceptable surgical risk. Here, we evaluated a gene therapy based on overexpression of the Kv1.1 potassium channel in a mouse model of frontal lobe focal cortical dysplasia. An engineered potassium channel (EKC) transgene was placed under control of a human promoter that biases expression towards principal neurons (CAMK2A) and packaged in an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV9). We used an established focal cortical dysplasia model generated by in utero electroporation of frontal lobe neural progenitors with a constitutively active human Ras homolog enriched in brain (RHEB) plasmid, an activator of mTOR complex 1. We characterized the model by quantifying electrocorticographic and behavioural abnormalities, both in mice developing spontaneous generalized seizures and in mice only exhibiting interictal discharges. Injection of AAV9-CAMK2A-EKC in the dysplastic region resulted in a robust decrease (∼64%) in the frequency of seizures. Despite the robust anti-epileptic effect of the treatment, there was neither an improvement nor a worsening of performance in behavioural tests sensitive to frontal lobe function. AAV9-CAMK2A-EKC had no effect on interictal discharges or behaviour in mice without generalized seizures. AAV9-CAMK2A-EKC gene therapy is a promising therapy with translational potential to treat the epileptic phenotype of mTOR-related malformations of cortical development. Cognitive and behavioural co-morbidities may, however, resist an intervention aimed at reducing circuit excitability.

The added value of risk assessment and subsequent targeted treatment for epileptic seizures after stroke: An early-HTA analysis

INTRODUCTION

The development of post-stroke epilepsy (PSE) is related to a worse clinical outcome in stroke patients. Adding a biomarker to the clinical diagnostic process for the prediction of PSE may help to establish targeted and personalized treatment for high-risk patients, which could lead to improved patient outcomes. We assessed the added value of a risk assessment and subsequent targeted treatment by conducting an early Health Technology Assessment.

METHODS

Interviews were conducted with four relevant stakeholders in the field of PSE to obtain a realistic view of the current healthcare and their opinions on the potential value of a PSE risk assessment and subsequent targeted treatment. The consequences on quality of life and costs of current care of a hypothetical care pathway with perfect risk assessment were modeled based on information from a literature review and the input from the stakeholders. Subsequently, the maximum added value (the headroom) was calculated. Sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of this result to variation in assumed input parameters, i.e. the accuracy of the risk assessment, the efficacy of anti-seizure medication (ASM), and the probability of patients expected to develop PSE.

RESULTS

All stakeholders considered the addition of a predictive biomarker for the risk assessment of PSE to be of value. The headroom amounted to €12,983. The sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the headroom remained beneficial when varying the accuracy of the risk assessment, the ASM efficacy, and the number of patients expected to develop PSE.

DISCUSSION

We showed that a risk assessment for PSE development is potentially valuable. This work demonstrates that it is worthwhile to undertake clinical studies to evaluate biomarkers for the prediction of patients at high risk for PSE and to assess the value of targeted prophylactic treatment.

How electroconvulsive therapy works in the treatment of depression: is it the seizure, the electricity, or both?

We have known for nearly a century that triggering seizures can treat serious mental illness, but what we do not know is why. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) works faster and better than conventional pharmacological interventions; however, those benefits come with a burden of side effects, most notably memory loss. Disentangling the mechanisms by which ECT exerts rapid therapeutic benefit from the mechanisms driving adverse effects could enable the development of the next generation of seizure therapies that lack the downside of ECT. The latest research suggests that this goal may be attainable because modifications of ECT technique have already yielded improvements in cognitive outcomes without sacrificing efficacy. These modifications involve changes in how the electricity is administered (both where in the brain, and how much), which in turn impacts the characteristics of the resulting seizure. What we do not completely understand is whether it is the changes in the applied electricity, or in the resulting seizure, or both, that are responsible for improved safety. Answering this question may be key to developing the next generation of seizure therapies that lack these adverse side effects, and ushering in novel interventions that are better, faster, and safer than ECT.

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation therapy in patients with cognitively preserved structural focal epilepsy: A case series report

OBJECTIVE

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) was performed in two patients suffering structural focal epilepsy with preserved intellectual ability to show the feasibility of taVNS for specific patient groups.

CASE PRESENTATIONS

Patient 1 was a 24-year-old woman with frontal lobe epilepsy who had weekly hyperkinetic seizures despite multiple anti-seizure medications. Patient 2 was a 27-year-old woman with parietal lobe epilepsy and focal cortical dysplasia in the vicinity of the lipoma in the corpus callosum. She experienced weekly focal-impaired awareness seizures even with anti-seizure medication. taVNS was applied to the left earlobe of both patients at 1.5 mA, 25 Hz, 250 μs pulse width, and 30 s stimulation with 30 s rest for 4 h per day. Over an 8-week baseline and 20 weeks of stimulation, the rate of reduction in seizure frequency was evaluated, along with quality-of-life using the Short-Form 36-Item Health survey.

RESULTS

At baseline, we measured up to 11 and 12 focal seizures per week in Patient 1 and 2, respectively, with both patients achieving seizure freedom after 4 and 20 weeks taVNS, respectively. Patient 1 and 2 were observed for 18 and 14 months, respectively, including the clinical trial and follow-up observation period. Quality-of-life ratings increased in both patients, and no significant adverse events occurred during the study period. During the maintenance period after 20 weeks, seizures remained absent in Patient 1, and seizures remained reduced in Patient 2.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that taVNS may be a promising tool for structural focal epilepsy with preserved cognitive function. A multicenter double-blind clinical trial is needed to confirm the role of taVNS as an anti-seizure tool.

Neurobiological mechanisms and therapeutic impact of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an efficient therapeutic resource for psycho-pharmacotherapeutic resistant forms of depression. ECT is a form of electrical brain stimulation involving the induction of a controlled seizure, clinically similar to an epileptic seizure, that is initiated in the prefrontal region of the brain and spreads to the cortex and subcortex, including the diencephalic structures. This is achieved by creating a transcranial electric field and synchronously depolarizing neuronal membranes. The mechanisms of action of ECT are not yet fully understood, but several hypotheses have been proposed to explain how it affects the brain: neurotransmitter changes, neuroplasticity, network connectivity, endocrine system regulation and changes in regional cerebral blood flow and regional metabolism.

Deep Brain Stimulation for Children with Generalized Epilepsy

Intracranial neuromodulation is an evolving therapy for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is now available as a therapy for patients with DRE and focal-onset seizures in select health care systems; however, there remains a substantial need of efficacy data before DBS can be more widely adopted into routine clinical practice. This review and commentary focuses on a particular shifting paradigm: DBS as a therapy for children with generalized-onset seizures.

Autoimmune and paraneoplastic seizures

Seizures are a common feature of autoimmune encephalitis and are especially prevalent in patients with the commonest autoantibodies, against LGI1, CASPR2 and the NMDA, GABAB, and GABAA receptors. In this chapter, we discuss the classification, clinical, investigation, and treatment aspects of patients with these, and other autoantibody-mediated and -associated, illnesses. We highlight distinctive and common seizure semiologies which, often alongside other features we outline, can help the clinical diagnosis of an autoantibody-associated syndrome. Next, we classify these syndromes by either focusing on whether they represent underlying causative autoantibodies or T-cell-mediated syndromes and on the distinction between acute symptomatic seizures and a more enduring tendency to autoimmune-associated epilepsy, a practical and valuable distinction for both patients and clinicians which relates to the pathogenesis. We emphasize the more effective immunotherapy response in patients with causative autoantibodies, and discuss the emerging evidence for various first-, second-, and third-line immunotherapies. Finally, we highlight available clinical rating scales which can guide autoantibody testing and immunotherapy in patients with seizures of unknown etiology. Throughout, we relate the clinical and therapeutic observations to the immunobiology and neuroscience which drive these seizures.

Living with and managing seizures among parents of children diagnosed with Phelan-McDermid syndrome: a qualitative study using in-depth interviews

To describe the experience of parents of children diagnosed with Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS) in relation to epileptic seizures and/or convulsions, their daily management and impact on family life. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. The study included parents of children diagnosed with PMS by a medical specialist. Purposive sampling was used, and data were collected via in-depth interviews. A thematic analysis was performed on the data. This study was conducted according to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research. Thirty-two parents were recruited. Four themes were identified: (a) the first epileptic seizure, where the first seizure appears abruptly and unexpectedly; (b) living with seizures, seizures generate high concern about the evolution of the disease and the future of children with PMS; (c) treatment of epileptic seizures, obtaining an adequate treatment is a long process that involves decision making by parents; (d) the impact of epilepsy on the family, where there is a change in the functioning and relationships among family members.  Conclusions: It is necessary to develop programs where parents can discuss treatment decisions with professionals and provide coping strategies for the management of epilepsy and seizures. What is Known: • Children with Phelan-McDermid syndrome may develop epilepsy. Parents receive insufficient information for the management and control of seizures. • Parents describe concerns about the evolution of epilepsy in their children's adulthood, along with the impact of seizures and/or convulsions on their children. What is New: • Epilepsy and seizures force the entire family to adapt their lifestyle and give up activities that can trigger seizures. • Parents pointed out the need to create programs to inform about the benefits and disadvantages of pharmacological treatments in order to improve decision making.

A community-based awareness program improves knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy: An interventional study

OBJECTIVE

Little interventional studies were conducted to improve knowledge, improve attitude, and eliminate stigma against patients with epilepsy. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of a community-based epilepsy awareness program (CBEAP) on knowledge, attitude, and stigma against patients with epilepsy among the Palestinian general public.

METHODS

This interventional study used a pre-post design. Knowledge and attitudes were assessed using a reliable and internally consistent questionnaire before and 1 month after receiving a CBEAP. Knowledge was assessed using a 16-item and attitudes were assessed using 13 items.

RESULTS

A total of 150 participants completed the questionnaire before the CBEAP. Of those, 136 (90.7 %) completed the CBEAP, and 129 (86.0 %) completed the questionnaire 1 month after receiving the CBEAP. The CBEAP significantly (p-value < 0.05) increased knowledge about the nature of epilepsy and seizures, triggers and treatment options, and patients with epilepsy. Similarly, the CBEAP significantly (p-value < 0.001) improved the attitudes of the participants toward epilepsy or having epilepsy, patients with epilepsy, relationships with patients with epilepsy, and working or staying with patients with epilepsy. Greater changes in knowledge and attitude scores were predicted by younger age and having a close friend or family member with epilepsy.

CONCLUSION

The CBEAP developed and implemented in this interventional study significantly increased the knowledge of the participants about epilepsy and improved their attitudes toward epilepsy and patients with epilepsy. Large-scale implementation of such interventional programs is still needed to increase knowledge and improve attitudes toward epilepsy and patients with epilepsy.

Utility of Chronic Intracranial Electroencephalography in Responsive Neurostimulation Therapy

Responsive neurostimulation (RNS) therapy is an effective treatment for reducing seizures in some patients with focal epilepsy. Utilizing a chronically implanted device, RNS involves monitoring brain activity signals for user-defined patterns of seizure activity and delivering electrical stimulation in response. Devices store chronic data including counts of detected activity patterns and brief recordings of intracranial electroencephalography signals. Data platforms for reviewing stored chronic data retrospectively may be used to evaluate therapy performance and to fine-tune detection and stimulation settings. New frontiers in RNS research can leverage raw chronic data to reverse engineer neurostimulation mechanisms and improve therapy effectiveness.

Sensing-Enabled Deep Brain Stimulation in Epilepsy

Deep brain stimulation has demonstrated efficacy in reducing seizure frequency in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who may otherwise not be candidates for other surgical procedures. Recently, a clinical device that can monitor neural activity in the form of local field potentials around the deep brain stimulator lead implant site has been introduced. While this technology has been clinically adopted in other disorders treated with deep brain stimulation, such as Parkinson's disease, its application in epilepsy remains unclear. Previous research using investigational devices has suggested that specific frequency bands may correlate with clinical response to deep brain stimulation in epilepsy, but features of the clinical device may prevent its use. The authors present their experience with using this technology in epilepsy patients and describe some of its limitations. Ultimately, novel biomarkers will need to be identified to elucidate how neural activity at deep brain stimulation sites may change with clinical response.

Growth and developmental outcomes of infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

Despite advances in obstetric care, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains a significant disease burden. We determined the national trends of HIE prevalence, therapeutic hypothermia (TH) use, mortality, and outcomes from 2012 to 2019. This study included term infants diagnosed with HIE between 2012 and 2019 from the National Health Insurance Service database. The prevalence of HIE was 2.4 per 1000 births without significant change during the period. TH was performed in approximately 6.7% of infants with HIE, and the annual variation ranged from 2.4 to 12.5%. The mortality among all term infants with HIE was 4.6%. The mortality rate among infants with HIE and TH significantly declined from 40 to 16.9% during the eight years. Infants with TH had higher mortality, increased use of inhaled nitric oxide, and more invasive ventilator use, indicating greater disease severity in the TH group. Infants with TH also showed significantly poorer outcomes, including delayed development, cerebral palsy, sensorineural hearing loss, and seizure, compared to infants without TH (p < 0.0001). With the increasing application of TH, mortality and developmental outcomes among infants with HIE have been improving in the past eight years in Korea. Further efforts to improve outcomes should be needed.

Unconjugated bilirubin is correlated with the severeness and neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Unconjugated bilirubin (UB) levels during the first week after birth are related to outcomes in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Clinical Sarnat staging of HIE, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hearing outcomes, and neurodevelopmental outcomes ≥ 1 year were used to correlate UB in 82 HIE patients. The initial UB level was significantly correlated with lactic acid levels. The peak UB was higher (p < 0.001) in stage I (10.13 ± 4.03 mg/dL, n = 34) than in stages II and III (6.11 ± 2.88 mg/dL, n = 48). Among the 48 patients receiving hypothermia treatment, a higher peak UB was significantly (p < 0.001) correlated with unremarkable brain MRI scans and unremarkable neurodevelopmental outcomes at age ≥ 1 year. The peak UB were higher (P = 0.015) in patients free of seizures until 1 year of age (6.63 ± 2.91 mg/dL) than in patients with seizures (4.17 ± 1.77 mg/dL). Regarding hearing outcomes, there were no significant differences between patients with and without hearing loss. The UB level in the first week after birth is an important biomarker for clinical staging, MRI findings, seizures after discharge before 1 year of age, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at ≥ 1 year of age.

Effect of Vagus Nerve Stimulation on the GASH/Sal Audiogenic-Seizure-Prone Hamster

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjuvant neuromodulation therapy for the treatment of refractory epilepsy. However, the mechanisms behind its effectiveness are not fully understood. Our aim was to develop a VNS protocol for the Genetic Audiogenic Seizure Hamster from Salamanca (GASH/Sal) in order to evaluate the mechanisms of action of the therapy. The rodents were subject to VNS for 14 days using clinical stimulation parameters by implanting a clinically available neurostimulation device or our own prototype for laboratory animals. The neuroethological assessment of seizures and general behavior were performed before surgery, and after 7, 10, and 14 days of VNS. Moreover, potential side effects were examined. Finally, the expression of 23 inflammatory markers in plasma and the left-brain hemisphere was evaluated. VNS significantly reduced seizure severity in GASH/Sal without side effects. No differences were observed between the neurostimulation devices. GASH/Sal treated with VNS showed statistically significant reduced levels of interleukin IL-1β, monocyte chemoattractant protein MCP-1, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-3), and tumor necrosis factor TNF-α in the brain. The described experimental design allows for the study of VNS effects and mechanisms of action using an implantable device. This was achieved in a model of convulsive seizures in which VNS is effective and shows an anti-inflammatory effect.

Effectiveness of Yoga Intervention in Reducing Felt Stigma in Adults With Epilepsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Persons with epilepsy are afflicted with comorbidities such as stigma, anxiety, and depression which have a significant impact on their quality of life. These comorbidities remain largely unaddressed in resource-limited countries. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to investigate whether yoga and psychoeducation were effective in reducing felt stigma (primary outcome), neuropsychiatric outcomes, and seizure frequency, as compared with sham yoga and psychoeducation in persons with epilepsy.

METHODS

This was an assessor-blinded, sham yoga-controlled RCT. Patients clinically diagnosed with epilepsy, aged 18-60 years, and scoring higher than the cutoff score for felt stigma as measured by the Kilifi Stigma Scale (KSS) in our population were randomly assigned to receive either yoga therapy plus psychoeducation (intervention) or sham yoga therapy plus psychoeducation (comparator) for a duration of 3 months. The primary outcome was a significant decrease in felt stigma as compared with the comparator arm as measured by the KSS. Primary and secondary outcomes (seizure frequency, quality of life, anxiety, depression, mindfulness, trait rumination, cognitive impairment, emotion regulation) were assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Parametric/nonparametric analysis of covariance and the χ2 test were used to compare the 2 arms.

RESULTS

A total of 160 patients were enrolled in the trial. At the end of the follow-up period (6 months), the intervention arm reported significant reduction in felt stigma as compared with the control arm (Cohen's d = 0.23, 95% CI -0.08 to 0.55, p = 0.006). Significantly higher odds of >50% seizure reduction (odds ratio [OR] 4.11, 95% CI 1.34-14.69, p = 0.01) and complete seizure remission (OR 7.4, 95% CI 1.75-55.89, p = 0.005) were also observed in the intervention group. The intervention group showed significant improvement in symptoms of anxiety, cognitive impairment, mindfulness, and quality of life relative to the control group at the end of follow-up period (p < 0.05).

DISCUSSION

Yoga can alleviate the burden of epilepsy and improve the overall quality of life in epilepsy by reducing perceived stigma.

TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI/2017/04/008385).

CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE

This study provides Class I evidence that yoga reduces felt stigma in adult patients with epilepsy.

Added value of corpus callosotomy following vagus nerve stimulation in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: A multicenter, multinational study

OBJECTIVE

Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe form of epileptic encephalopathy, presenting during the first years of life, and is very resistant to treatment. Once medical therapy has failed, palliative surgeries such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) or corpus callosotomy (CC) are considered. Although CC is more effective than VNS as the primary neurosurgical treatment for LGS-associated drop attacks, there are limited data regarding the added value of CC following VNS. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of CC preceded by VNS.

METHODS

This multinational, multicenter retrospective study focuses on LGS children who underwent CC before the age of 18 years, following prior VNS, which failed to achieve satisfactory seizure control. Collected data included epilepsy characteristics, surgical details, epilepsy outcomes, and complications. The primary outcome of this study was a 50% reduction in drop attacks.

RESULTS

A total of 127 cases were reviewed (80 males). The median age at epilepsy onset was 6 months (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.12-22.75). The median age at VNS surgery was 7 years (IQR = 4-10), and CC was performed at a median age of 11 years (IQR = 8.76-15). The dominant seizure type was drop attacks (tonic or atonic) in 102 patients. Eighty-six patients underwent a single-stage complete CC, and 41 an anterior callosotomy. Ten patients who did not initially have a complete CC underwent a second surgery for completion of CC due to seizure persistence. Overall, there was at least a 50% reduction in drop attacks and other seizures in 83% and 60%, respectively. Permanent morbidity occurred in 1.5%, with no mortality.

SIGNIFICANCE

CC is vital in seizure control in children with LGS in whom VNS has failed. Surgical risks are low. A complete CC has a tendency toward better effectiveness than anterior CC for some seizure types.