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Gould L, Reid CA, Rodriguez AJ, Devinsky O. Video Analyses of Sudden Unexplained Deaths in Toddlers. Neurology 2024; 102:e208038. [PMID: 38175965 PMCID: PMC11097764 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000208038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES More than 2,900 US children aged younger than 4 years die from unknown causes each year, accounting for more than 219,000 life years lost annually. They are mostly sleep-related and unwitnessed with unremarkable autopsies, limiting our understanding of death mechanisms. We sought to understand potential mechanisms of death by evaluating videos of sudden deaths in toddlers. METHODS In our registry of 301 sudden unexplained child deaths, a series of 7 consecutively enrolled cases with home video recordings of the child's last sleep period were independently assessed by 8 physicians for video quality, movement, and sound. RESULTS Four boys and 3 girls (13-27 months at death) with terminal videos shared similar demographic features to the 293 other registry cases without video recordings. Five video recordings were continuous and 2 were triggered by sound or motion. Two lacked audio. All continuous recordings included a terminal convulsive event lasting 8-50 seconds; 4 children survived for >2.5 minutes postconvulsion. Among discontinuous videos, time lapses limited review; 1 suggested a convulsive event. Six were prone with face down, and 1 had autopsy evidence of airway obstruction. Primary cardiac arrhythmias were not supported; all 7 children had normal cardiac pathology and whole-exome sequencing identified no known cardiac disease variants. DISCUSSION Audio-visual recordings in 7 toddlers with unexplained sudden deaths strongly implicate that deaths were related to convulsive seizures, suggesting that many unexplained sleep-related deaths may result from seizures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gould
- From the NYU Grossman School of Medicine (L.G., C.-A.R., A.J.R., O.D.), and NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (L.G., C.-A.R., A.J.R., O.D.), New York
| | - Codi-Ann Reid
- From the NYU Grossman School of Medicine (L.G., C.-A.R., A.J.R., O.D.), and NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (L.G., C.-A.R., A.J.R., O.D.), New York
| | - Alcibiades J Rodriguez
- From the NYU Grossman School of Medicine (L.G., C.-A.R., A.J.R., O.D.), and NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (L.G., C.-A.R., A.J.R., O.D.), New York
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- From the NYU Grossman School of Medicine (L.G., C.-A.R., A.J.R., O.D.), and NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (L.G., C.-A.R., A.J.R., O.D.), New York
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Gould L, Delavale V, Plovnick C, Wisniewski T, Devinsky O. Are brief febrile seizures benign? A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Epilepsia 2023; 64:2539-2549. [PMID: 37466925 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Febrile seizures affect 2%-5% of U.S. children and are considered benign although associated with an increased risk of epilepsy and, rarely, with sudden unexplained death. We compared rates of mortality, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neuropathology in young children with simple and complex febrile seizures to healthy controls. We systematically reviewed studies of 3- to 72-month-old children with simple or complex febrile seizures ≤30 min. We searched studies with outcome measures on mortality, neurodevelopment, or neuropathology through July 18, 2022. Bias risk was assessed per study design. Each outcome measure was stratified by study design. PROSPERO registration is CRD42022361645. Twenty-six studies met criteria reporting mortality (11), neurodevelopment (11), and neuropathology (13), including 2665 children with febrile seizures and 1206 seizure-free controls. Study designs varied: 15 cohort, 2 cross-sectional, 3 case-control, 5 series, and 1 case report. Mortality outcomes showed stark contrasts. Six cohort studies following children after febrile seizure (n = 1348) reported no deaths, whereas four child death series and 1 case report identified 24.1% (108/449) deaths associated with simple (n = 104) and complex (n = 3) febrile seizures ≤30 min. Minor hippocampal histopathological anomalies were common in sudden deaths with or without febrile seizure history. Most electroencephalography (EEG) studies were normal. Neuroimaging studies suggested increased right hippocampal volumes. When present, neurodevelopmental problems usually preexisted febrile-seizure onset. Risk bias was medium or high in 95% (18/19) of cohort and case-control studies vs medium to low across remaining study designs. Research on outcomes after simple or brief complex febrile seizures is limited. Cohort studies suffered from inadequate sample size, bias risk, and limited follow-up durations to make valid conclusions on mortality, neurodevelopment, and neuropathology. Sudden death registries, focused on a very small percentage of all cases, strongly suggest that simple febrile seizures are associated with increased mortality. Although most children with febrile seizures have favorable outcomes, longer-term prospective studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gould
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Victoria Delavale
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Caitlin Plovnick
- Health Sciences Library, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health and NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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De novo mutations in childhood cases of sudden unexplained death that disrupt intracellular Ca2+ regulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2115140118. [PMID: 34930847 PMCID: PMC8719874 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115140118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 400 United States children 1 y of age and older die suddenly from unexplained causes annually. We studied whole-exome sequence data from 124 “trios” (decedent child and living parents) to identify genetic risk factors. Nonsynonymous mutations, mostly de novo (present in child but absent in both biological parents), were highly enriched in genes associated with cardiac and seizure disorders relative to controls, and contributed to 9% of deaths. We found significant overtransmission of loss-of-function or pathogenic missense variants in cardiac and seizure disorder genes. Most pathogenic variants were de novo in origin, highlighting the importance of trio studies. Many of these pathogenic de novo mutations altered a protein network regulating calcium-related excitability at submembrane junctions in cardiomyocytes and neurons. Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is an understudied problem. Whole-exome sequence data from 124 “trios” (decedent child, living parents) was used to test for excessive de novo mutations (DNMs) in genes involved in cardiac arrhythmias, epilepsy, and other disorders. Among decedents, nonsynonymous DNMs were enriched in genes associated with cardiac and seizure disorders relative to controls (odds ratio = 9.76, P = 2.15 × 10−4). We also found evidence for overtransmission of loss-of-function (LoF) or previously reported pathogenic variants in these same genes from heterozygous carrier parents (11 of 14 transmitted, P = 0.03). We identified a total of 11 SUDC proband genotypes (7 de novo, 1 transmitted parental mosaic, 2 transmitted parental heterozygous, and 1 compound heterozygous) as pathogenic and likely contributory to death, a genetic finding in 8.9% of our cohort. Two genes had recurrent missense DNMs, RYR2 and CACNA1C. Both RYR2 mutations are pathogenic (P = 1.7 × 10−7) and were previously studied in mouse models. Both CACNA1C mutations lie within a 104-nt exon (P = 1.0 × 10−7) and result in slowed L-type calcium channel inactivation and lower current density. In total, six pathogenic DNMs can alter calcium-related regulation of cardiomyocyte and neuronal excitability at a submembrane junction, suggesting a pathway conferring susceptibility to sudden death. There was a trend for excess LoF mutations in LoF intolerant genes, where ≥1 nonhealthy sample in denovo-db has a similar variant (odds ratio = 6.73, P = 0.02); additional uncharacterized genetic causes of sudden death in children might be discovered with larger cohorts.
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Harowitz J, Crandall L, McGuone D, Devinsky O. Seizure-related deaths in children: The expanding spectrum. Epilepsia 2021; 62:570-582. [PMID: 33586153 PMCID: PMC7986159 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Although seizures are common in children, they are often overlooked as a potential cause of death. Febrile and nonfebrile seizures can be fatal in children with or without an epilepsy diagnosis and may go unrecognized by parents or physicians. Sudden unexpected infant deaths, sudden unexplained death in childhood, and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy share clinical, neuropathological, and genetic features, including male predominance, unwitnessed deaths, death during sleep, discovery in the prone position, hippocampal abnormalities, and variants in genes regulating cardiac and neuronal excitability. Additionally, epidemiological studies reveal that miscarriages are more common among individuals with a personal or family history of epilepsy, suggesting that some fetal losses may result from epileptic factors. The spectrum of seizure-related deaths in pediatrics is wide and underappreciated; accurately estimating this mortality and understanding its mechanism in children is critical to developing effective education and interventions to prevent these tragedies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Harowitz
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Laura Crandall
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,SUDC Foundation, Herndon, Virginia, USA
| | - Declan McGuone
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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McGuone D, Crandall LG, Devinsky O. Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood: A Neuropathology Review. Front Neurol 2020; 11:582051. [PMID: 33178125 PMCID: PMC7596260 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.582051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is the unexpected death of a child over age 12 months that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including review of the child's medical history, circumstances of death, a complete autopsy and ancillary testing (1). First defined in 2005, SUDC cases are more often male, with death occurring during a sleep period, being found prone, peak winter incidence, associated with febrile seizure history in ~28% of cases and mild pathologic changes insufficient to explain the death (1, 2). There has been little progress in understanding the causes of SUDC and no progress in prevention. Despite reductions in sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and other causes of mortality in childhood, the rate of SUDC has increased during the past two decades (3-5). In Ireland, SUID deaths were cut in half from 1994 to 2008 while SUDC deaths more than doubled (4). Surveillance issues, including lack of standardized certification practices, affect our understanding of the true magnitude of unexplained child deaths. Mechanisms underlying SUDC, like SUID, remain largely speculative. Limited and inconsistent evidence implicates abnormalities in brainstem autonomic and serotonergic nuclei, critical for arousal, cardiorespiratory control, and reflex responses to life-threatening hypoxia or hypercarbia in sleep (6). Abnormalities in medullary serotonergic neurons and receptors, as well as cardiorespiratory brainstem nuclei occur in some SUID cases, but have never been studied in SUDC. Retrospective, small SUDC studies with non-standardized methodologies most often demonstrate minor hippocampal abnormalities, as well as focal cortical dysplasia and dysgenesis of the brainstem and cerebellum. The significance of these findings to SUDC pathogenesis remains unclear with some investigators and forensic pathologists labeling these findings as normal variants, or potential causes of SUDC. The development of preventive strategies will require a greater understanding of underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Declan McGuone
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Laura G Crandall
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States.,SUDC Foundation, Herndon, VA, United States
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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6
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Crandall LG, Lee JH, Friedman D, Lear K, Maloney K, Pinckard JK, Lin P, Andrew T, Roman K, Landi K, Jarrell H, Williamson AK, Downs JCU, Pinneri K, William C, Maleszewski JJ, Reichard RR, Devinsky O. Evaluation of Concordance Between Original Death Certifications and an Expert Panel Process in the Determination of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e2023262. [PMID: 33125496 PMCID: PMC7599447 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.23262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The true incidence of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC), already the fifth leading category of death among toddlers by current US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, is potentially veiled by the varied certification processes by medicolegal investigative offices across the United States. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the frequency of SUDC incidence, understand its epidemiology, and assess the consistency of death certification among medical examiner and coroner offices in the US death investigation system. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this case series, 2 of 13 forensic pathologists (FPs) conducted masked reviews of 100 cases enrolled in the SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (SUDCRRC). Children who died aged 11 months to 18 years from 36 US states, Canada, and the United Kingdom had been posthumously enrolled in the SUDCRRC by family members from 2014 to 2017. Comprehensive data from medicolegal investigative offices, clinical offices, and family members were reviewed. Data analysis was conducted from December 2014 to June 2020. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Certified cause of death (COD) characterized as explained (accidental or natural) or unexplained, as determined by SUDCRRC masked review process. RESULTS In this study of 100 cases of SUDC (mean [SD] age, 32.1 [31.8] months; 58 [58.0%] boys; 82 [82.0%] White children; 92 [92.0%] from the United States), the original pathologist certified 43 cases (43.0%) as explained COD and 57 (57.0%) as unexplained COD. The SUDCRRC review process led to the following certifications: 16 (16.0%) were explained, 7 (7.0%) were undetermined because of insufficient data, and 77 (77.0%) were unexplained. Experts disagreed with the original COD in 40 cases (40.0%). These data suggest that SUDC incidence is higher than the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate (ie, 392 deaths in 2018). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive masked forensic pathology review process of sudden unexpected pediatric deaths, and it suggests that SUDC may often go unrecognized in US death investigations. Some unexpected pediatric deaths may be erroneously attributed to a natural or accidental COD, negatively affecting surveillance, research, public health funding, and medical care of surviving family members. To further address the challenges of accurate and consistent death certification in SUDC, future studies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joyce H. Lee
- NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Kelly Lear
- Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office, Centennial, Colorado
| | - Katherine Maloney
- Erie County Medical Examiner's Office, Buffalo, New York
- University at Buffalo School of Medicine, Buffalo, New York
| | | | | | - Thomas Andrew
- White Mountain Forensic Consulting Services, Concord, New Hampshire
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Kathy Pinneri
- Montgomery County Forensic Services Department, Conroe, Texas
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Postural change for supine position does not disturb toddlers' nap. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11944. [PMID: 32686727 PMCID: PMC7371876 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68832-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined whether forced postural change from prone to supine during toddlers’ nap, a preventative measure taken in Japan for sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC), disturbs toddlers’ sleep. When the "Back to Sleep" campaign (BSC) was introduced to Japan in 1996, its recommendations were also applied to infants aged 1 year old and over with the expectation that the BSC recommendations may also contribute to a decrease in the occurrence rate of SUDC. Since then, Japanese nurseries have routinely conducted sleeping position checks and positional adjustments of toddlers every 5–10 min during naps. A total of 52 toddlers (age 18.4 ± 3.3 months, means ± SD) were continuously monitored for 8 h during daytime at nursery schools for wake-sleep status and body position (prone, supine and lateral) with actigraphs and 3-orthogonal-axis accelerometers. Out of the 52 toddlers, 24 toddlers adopted prone positions during naps, which were adjusted by nursery staff back to supine. When nursery staff manually changed the toddlers position from prone to supine, the toddlers either did not wake or woke only briefly (3.1 ± 4.9 min) and returned to sleep soon after the positional change. Our study indicates that manual change of toddlers’ sleeping position from prone to supine, a potential SUDC prevention method, does not disturb toddlers’ sleep during their naps.
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McGuone D, Leitner D, William C, Faustin A, Leelatian N, Reichard R, Shepherd TM, Snuderl M, Crandall L, Wisniewski T, Devinsky O. Neuropathologic Changes in Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2020; 79:336-346. [PMID: 31995186 PMCID: PMC7036658 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlz136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) affects children >1-year-old whose cause of death remains unexplained following comprehensive case investigation and is often associated with hippocampal abnormalities. We prospectively performed systematic neuropathologic investigation in 20 SUDC cases, including (i) autopsy data and comprehensive ancillary testing, including molecular studies, (ii) ex vivo 3T MRI and extensive histologic brain samples, and (iii) blinded neuropathology review by 2 board-certified neuropathologists. There were 12 girls and 8 boys; median age at death was 33.3 months. Twelve had a history of febrile seizures, 85% died during apparent sleep and 80% in prone position. Molecular testing possibly explained 3 deaths and identified genetic mutations in TNNI3, RYR2, and multiple chromosomal aberrations. Hippocampal abnormalities most often affected the dentate gyrus (altered thickness, irregular configuration, and focal lack of granule cells), and had highest concordance between reviewers. Findings were identified with similar frequencies in cases with and without molecular findings. Number of seizures did not correlate with hippocampal findings. Hippocampal alterations were the most common finding on histological review but were also found in possibly explained deaths. The significance and specificity of hippocampal findings is unclear as they may result from seizures, contribute to seizure pathogenesis, or be an unrelated phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Declan McGuone
- From the Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New haven, Connecticut
| | - Dominique Leitner
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Christopher William
- Department of Neurology
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Nalin Leelatian
- From the Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New haven, Connecticut
| | - Ross Reichard
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | | | - Matija Snuderl
- Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Laura Crandall
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
- Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Foundation, Cedar Grove, New Jersey
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Department of Neurology
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, and Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health and School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
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Hoch MJ, Bruno MT, Faustin A, Cruz N, Mogilner AY, Crandall L, Wisniewski T, Devinsky O, Shepherd TM. 3T MRI Whole-Brain Microscopy Discrimination of Subcortical Anatomy, Part 2: Basal Forebrain. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2019; 40:1095-1105. [PMID: 31196861 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a6088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The basal forebrain contains multiple structures of great interest to emerging functional neurosurgery applications, yet many neuroradiologists are unfamiliar with this neuroanatomy because it is not resolved with current clinical MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS We applied an optimized TSE T2 sequence to washed whole postmortem brain samples (n = 13) to demonstrate and characterize the detailed anatomy of the basal forebrain using a clinical 3T MR imaging scanner. We measured the size of selected internal myelinated pathways and measured subthalamic nucleus size, oblique orientation, and position relative to the intercommissural point. RESULTS We identified most basal ganglia and diencephalon structures using serial axial, coronal, and sagittal planes relative to the intercommissural plane. Specific oblique image orientations demonstrated the positions and anatomic relationships for selected structures of interest to functional neurosurgery. We observed only 0.2- to 0.3-mm right-left differences in the anteroposterior and superoinferior length of the subthalamic nucleus (P = .084 and .047, respectively). Individual variability for the subthalamic nucleus was greatest for angulation within the sagittal plane (range, 15°-37°), transverse dimension (range, 2-6.7 mm), and most inferior border (range, 4-7 mm below the intercommissural plane). CONCLUSIONS Direct identification of basal forebrain structures in multiple planes using the TSE T2 sequence makes this challenging neuroanatomy more accessible to practicing neuroradiologists. This protocol can be used to better define individual variations relevant to functional neurosurgical targeting and validate/complement advanced MR imaging methods being developed for direct visualization of these structures in living patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Hoch
- From the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, (M.J.H.), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - M T Bruno
- Departments of Radiology (M.T.B., N.C., T.M.S.)
| | | | - N Cruz
- Departments of Radiology (M.T.B., N.C., T.M.S.)
| | | | - L Crandall
- Neurology (L.C., T.W., O.D.).,SUDC Foundation (L.C., O.D.), New York, New York
| | - T Wisniewski
- Pathology (A.F., T.W.).,Neurology (L.C., T.W., O.D.).,Psychiatry (T.W.), New York University, New York, New York
| | - O Devinsky
- Neurology (L.C., T.W., O.D.).,SUDC Foundation (L.C., O.D.), New York, New York
| | - T M Shepherd
- Departments of Radiology (M.T.B., N.C., T.M.S.) .,Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (T.M.S.), New York, New York
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Crandall LG, Lee JH, Stainman R, Friedman D, Devinsky O. Potential Role of Febrile Seizures and Other Risk Factors Associated With Sudden Deaths in Children. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e192739. [PMID: 31026025 PMCID: PMC6487567 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.2739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is the fifth leading category of death among toddlers but remains underrecognized and inadequately studied. OBJECTIVE To assess the potential role of febrile seizures (FS) and other risk factors associated with SUDC and describe the epidemiology, mechanisms, and prevention of SUDC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This case series study reviewed 622 consecutive sudden child death cases aged 1 to 17 years from 2001 to 2017 from 18 countries. Data were collected from family members of children who died suddenly; these families voluntarily registered with the SUDC Foundation. Data analysis was conducted from November 2017 to February 2019. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Certified manner of death characterized as accident, natural, or undetermined. RESULTS A total of 391 families with decedents aged 1 to 6 years completed a comprehensive interview on medical and social histories, and circumstances of death with forensic evaluations revealing a cause of death (sudden explained death in childhood [SEDC]) or no cause of death (SUDC). Of these children, 231 (59.1%) were male, the mean (SD) age at death was 24.9 (12.8) months, and 104 (26.6%) had a history of FS. Compared with the general population FS prevalence (2%-5%), FS prevalence among SUDC (28.8%; 95% CI, 23.3%-34.2%) and SEDC (22.1%; 95% CI, 14.8%-29.3%) were elevated. The odds of death during sleep was 4.6-fold higher in SUDC than in SEDC cases (odds ratio, 4.61; 95% CI, 1.92-11.09; adjusted P = .008). The siblings of SUDC cases were followed up for 3144 life-years, and none died prematurely from SUDC. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This analysis of the largest SUDC cohort confirmed an increased FS rate and found significantly increased rates of FS among SEDC. This study suggests that seizures may contribute to some SUDC and SEDC deaths. The risk of sudden death in a sibling was low. To develop and assess preventive strategies, population-based studies are needed to define the epidemiology and spectrum of risk factors and identify biomarkers of patients with FS at high risk of sudden death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gould Crandall
- Sudden Unexplained Death In Childhood Foundation, Roseland, New Jersey
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
| | - Joyce H. Lee
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
| | - Rebecca Stainman
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
| | - Daniel Friedman
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- New York University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York
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11
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Hoch MJ, Bruno MT, Faustin A, Cruz N, Crandall L, Wisniewski T, Devinsky O, Shepherd TM. 3T MRI Whole-Brain Microscopy Discrimination of Subcortical Anatomy, Part 1: Brain Stem. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2019; 40:401-407. [PMID: 30705073 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a5956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The brain stem is compactly organized with life-sustaining sensorimotor and autonomic structures that can be affected by numerous pathologies but can be difficult to resolve on conventional MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS We applied an optimized TSE T2 sequence to washed postmortem brain samples to reveal exquisite and reproducible brain stem anatomic MR imaging contrast comparable with histologic atlases. This resource-efficient approach can be performed across multiple whole-brain samples with relatively short acquisition times (2 hours per imaging plane) using clinical 3T MR imaging systems. RESULTS We identified most brain stem structures at 7 canonical axial levels. Multiplanar or oblique planes illustrate the 3D course and spatial relationships of major brain stem white matter pathways. Measurements of the relative position, course, and cross-sectional area of these pathways across multiple samples allow estimation of pathway location in other samples or clinical subjects. Possible structure-function asymmetries in these pathways will require further study-that is, the cross-sectional area of the left corticospinal tract in the midpons appeared 20% larger (n = 13 brains, P < .10). CONCLUSIONS Compared with traditional atlases, multiplanar MR imaging contrast has advantages for learning and retaining brain stem anatomy for clinicians and trainees. Direct TSE MR imaging sequence discrimination of brain stem anatomy can help validate other MR imaging contrasts, such as diffusion tractography, or serve as a structural template for extracting quantitative MR imaging data in future postmortem investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Hoch
- From the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences (M.J.H.), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - M T Bruno
- Departments of Radiology (M.T.B., N.C., T.M.S.)
| | | | - N Cruz
- Departments of Radiology (M.T.B., N.C., T.M.S.)
| | - L Crandall
- Neurology (L.C., T.W., O.D.)
- SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (L.C., O.D.), New York, New York
| | - T Wisniewski
- Neurology (L.C., T.W., O.D.)
- Psychiatry (T.W.), New York University, New York, New York
| | - O Devinsky
- Neurology (L.C., T.W., O.D.)
- SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (L.C., O.D.), New York, New York
| | - T M Shepherd
- Departments of Radiology (M.T.B., N.C., T.M.S.)
- Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (T.M.S.), New York, New York
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