Project description
A closer look at high-frequency oscillations to cure seizures
Characterised by unpredictable seizures, epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder. While brain surgery can cure seizures, it is complex and often unsuccessful. The EU-funded Epilepsy_Core project will study high-frequency oscillations (HFOs), which are novel markers of the core of focal epilepsy and found in long-term invasive electroencephalography (EEG). Specifically, it will uncover the direct micro-level high-frequency EEG reflection of the distorted cortex. Three macro-level signal prerequisites for seizure and HFO generation will be used to innovate intraoperative recording and signal analysis. The project will test technical solutions and optimise analyses with supervised machine learning. It will also review data from 200 unguided brain surgeries with different levels of epileptogenicity and cognitive impairment.
Objective
Epilepsy burdens 1% of the population. Brain surgery can cure seizures and stop cognitive decline, but it is complex and often unsuccessful. I aim to advance cure from epileptic brain disease radically by 1) pinpointing the core of epilepsy and 2) understanding the effects on normal brain functioning.
High-frequency oscillations (HFOs) are novel markers of the core of focal epilepsy, discovered in long-term invasive EEG. I initiated direct HFO-based guidance of epilepsy surgery with intra-operative invasive electrodes. However, HFOs still appear stochastic epiphenomena. Therefore, I will now uncover the direct microlevel high-frequency EEG reflection of the distorted cortex. I will use three macrolevel signal prerequisites for seizure and HFO generation to innovate intra-operative recording and signal analysis: susceptible (evoke with long-distance electrical stimulation; cross-frequency coupling), sudden (low-noise adhesive electrodes; auto-regression) & spreading (high-density recordings; functional connectivity). I will pilot test technical solutions and optimize analyses with supervised machine learning based on pivotal epileptogenic versus healthy tissue and on postsurgical outcomes.
Next, I will explore the broad effect of epileptic on physiological high frequency brain activity taking cognitive performance as epitome, especially in people without seizures.
Current electrocorticography data come from limited, diverse and complex cases with no gold standards for diseased and normal cortex. I will therefore obtain data from 200 otherwise unguided brain surgeries with different levels of epileptogenicity and cognitive impairment: highly epileptogenic tumors (simple), gliomas (many) and meningiomas which compress healthy brain (uniform; partly without seizures).
I will integrate techniques in a neurosurgical real-time recording and projecting device that simplifies finding and removing epileptogenic tissue to stop the distorting effect in focal brain disorders.
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Funding Scheme
ERC-STG - Starting GrantHost institution
3584 CX Utrecht
Netherlands