Epileptiform discharges in the anterior thalamus of epilepsy patients

• Published in: iScience Vol. 27; no. 5; p. 109582
• Main Authors: Jordán, Zsófia, Szabó, Johanna-Petra, Sákovics, Anna, Kelemen, Anna, Halász, László, Erőss, Loránd, Fabó, Dániel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 17.05.2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: Clinical finding; Health sciences; Medical tests; Health sciences; Medical tests; Clinical finding
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109582

Anterior thalamus (ANT) deep-brain stimulation (DBS) is an approved therapy for drug resistant epilepsy. We aimed to identify interictal epileptiform discharges (IED) in the ANT and to investigate their relationship with surface IEDs. Fifteen patients were monitored for two consecutive nights with externalized thalamic leads to analyze the intrathalamic epileptiform activities (TIED). Forty-six % of all contacts were located within the ANT. We found that all the responders had TIEDs within the ANT, while this held true only for 44% of the non-responders. The overall response rate (RR) at 1-year follow-up was 40%, while it was 44% in bilateral ANT hit patients and 45% in epileptic focus side hit. However, in case of TIEDs present in the focus side the RR reached as high as 71%. TIED activity may prove the pathophysiological connection to the seizure focus, and stimulation of this area might have a better suppressing effect on seizures. [Display omitted] •Ventral part of ANT performed TIED activity in 92%•100% of responders vs. 44% of the non-responders had spike type TIEDs within the ANT•Response rate on the focus side was 40% vs. 71%, without or with TIEDs, respectively•TIED activity in ANT may prove the pathophysiological connection to the seizure focus Health sciences; Clinical finding; Medical tests