View clinical trials related to Focal Epilepsy.
Filter by:Background: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease which affects approximately 70,000 patients in Hong Kong and 50 billion people worldwide. Among these patients one-third remained unresponsive to antiepileptic agents. Continual drug manipulation is an essential therapeutic option for these patients with refractory epilepsy. In particular, rational polytherapy has become the mainstay of treatment for the sub-group of patients who have failed two or more antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). A substantial amount of research has shown that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDA) may play a key role in the pathophysiology of several neurological diseases, including epilepsy. Animal models of epilepsy and clinical studies demonstrate that NMDA receptors activity and expression can be altered in association with epilepsy and particularly in some specific seizure types. NMDA receptor antagonists have been shown to have antiepileptic effects in both clinical and preclinical studies. There is some evidence that conventional antiepileptic drugs may also affect NMDA receptor function. Aims: To investigate the medium to long-term effects of AMPA/NMDA receptor antagonist in an Asian cohort as there is a relative lack of clinical data in this population To explore the efficacy of AMPA/NMDA receptor antagonist in patients with partial onsets seizures that may secondarily generalize and the specific side effects of AMPA/NMDA receptor antagonist in relation to behavioral problems. Methods: A semi-prospective design is adopted to recruit patients who are indicated and started on AMPA/NMDA receptor antagonist aged 12 or above in Hong Kong. This study will collect information about demographic details, medical history and seizure information. Assessment of seizure frequency is based on seizure diary and interviews with family members. Physical examination, electrocardiogram and other medical information relevant to the follow-up of the patient will be collected.
Focal Cortical Dysplasias (FCDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders that represent a major cause of early onset drug-resistant epilepsies with cognitive and behavioral impairments, carrying a lifelong perspective of disability and reduced quality of life. Despite a major medical and socio-economic burden, rationale therapeutic strategies are still under debate. Surgical removal of the epileptogenic brain area (Epileptogenic Zone) is the most successful treatment, yet it fails to control FCD-associated seizures in as much as 40% of cases. Precise definition and complete resection of the Epileptogenic Zone are the main determinants of outcome. In current practice of French centers, up to 80% FCD-patients require an intracranial EEG (icEEG) recording to accurately define the epileptogenic zone. However, the indications for icEEG in MRI-visible FCD remain empirical and are essentially based on expert opinion.
The main goal of this study is to evaluate the additional value of EEG-fMRI method in the presurgical evaluation of focal intractable epilepsy. To consider a patient for surgery, the main difficulty is to define accurately the epileptogenic zone. This definition is complex and is often supported by several types of exploration (MRI, FDG PET, neuropsychological testing, video-EEG...). In this study we will evaluate the adding value of the simultaneous recording of EEG and fMRI in the epileptogenic zone definition.
This is a non interventional prospective study. Centers will enroll adult participants with partial onset seizures with or without secondary generalisation for whom the clinician has decided to initiate eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) as an adjunctive therapy or monotherapy prior to the decision to take part in this study. Participants to be enrolled into the study will receive ESL either as an adjunctive therapy to one baseline antiepileptic drug (AED) or to at least two baseline AEDs or as monotherapy. Participants will be seen at baseline and at a follow-up visit after approximately 6 months to assess retention, efficacy, tolerability, quality of life (optional), and cognitive performances (optional).
Reconstruction software allows visualization of cortical structure in 3 dimensions, showing on a single picture the position of all the electrodes. The EEG signal of each recording plot of the electrode is analyzed and compared with the underlying brain structure reconstructed by the software. It is therefore possible to visualize 1) ictogenic and epileptogenic areas using neurophysiological stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) data and 2) adjacent functional cortical areas with functional imaging and SEEG. Software makes it possible to determine the links between these areas. This study aims to show that using these software is an asset in surgical decision and in the choice of surgical strategy. Each patient has presurgical evaluation (usual care), including morphologic and (if necessary) functional MRI, EEG and SEEG. In this study, software will be used to analyze the processed data (FSL software, FMRIB laboratory, Oxford University and BrainVisa/Anatomist. The surgical decision will be taken according to the usual staff procedures, based on the usual examination results. After the decision making process, the staff will be asked to reconsider the surgical decision, according to the analysis provided by the software. The discrepancies between the decisions will be recorded.
The identification of the epileptogenic zone (EZ) during pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy presurgical assessment frequently requires intracranial recordings like stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG). Cortical direct electrical stimulation (DES) is commonly used during SEEG for functional mapping or to induce seizure. However, the recording of seizures is sometimes insufficient to circumscribe the EZ and development of new biomarkers is necessary. The cortex within the EZ is thought to be hyperexcitable. The "paired pulses" paradigm, using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), allows determining the hemispheric cortical excitability level. The investigators hypothesize that paired pulses DES during SEEG could provide useful information for EZ identification.
Unlike the first generation antiepileptic medications, newer drugs for epilepsy such as levetiracetam are reported to have less adverse effect in children but not many studies have systematically reviewed the subject. This study aims to prospectively evaluate the effect of levetiracetam on neurocognition, behavioral issues and quality of life, as well as its seizure control efficacy and other adverse events in pediatric epilepsy patients, in comparison to carbamazepine, one of the classic antiepileptic medication, widely prescribed for both partial and generalized seizures, despite its well known side effects. This multicenter, open-label, parallel-group trial is expected to enroll 130 patients from age 4 to 16 woh will be randomized into two groups, which will be prescribed with levetiracetam or carbamazepine. Series of neuropsychological assessment and behavioral and life evaluations of the patients will be performed at baseline period and after the 52 weeks of study period.
HEP is a five-year, prospective, observational study whose primary goal is to identify clinical characteristics and biomarkers predictive of disease outcome, progression, and treatment response in participants with newly treated focal epilepsy.
This study will evaluate a type of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) sequence called arterial spin labeling (ASL). The investigators hope that ASL can better localize areas of the brain (lesions) that cause epilepsy. This type of MRI does not require contrast, does not use any radiation, and adds on 4 minutes to the routine MRI that is done for patients with epilepsy. The study hypothesis is that in patients with refractory epilepsy, Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) MRI will show areas of abnormality in the brain to the same degree as single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) studies.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of different intravenous doses (IV) of a new anti-epileptic drug (AED) called lacosamide on continuous EEG (electroencephalogram) rhythms (or brain rhythms) in subjects with focal seizures and the tolerability of those doses by patients. In addition, this study will assess the effect of IV lacosamide on EKG (electrocardiogram), a test which checks for problems with the electrical activity of the heart.