Structure and dynamics of brain networks in common epilepsies

Current research focus on a single broad and important question in epilepsy:

How do epileptic seizures emerge suddenly from the normal activity of brain networks?

Emphasis on common epilepsies and multidisciplinary approach (imaging, electrophysiology, computational modelling)

We seek to answer this question using data obtained directly from people with epilepsy

This question has three main elements:

Which brain networks are implicated in the mechanisms of epileptic seizures?How do these networks differ between people with epilepsy and without?Why are these abnormal networks able to suddenly generate seizures?

Here illustrated by a study of primary generalised epilepsy ………

39 IGE patients40 1st-degree relatives42 normal controls

EEG signal filtered into 5 bands: delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma

Network of connections between EEG electrodes derived for each frequency band

METHOD

NETWORK TOPOLOGY

DYNAMICMODEL

28 IGE patients55 controlsDiffusion tensor imaging (DTI)Analysed using TBSS

People with IGE have abnormal structural and functional brain networks

These network abnormalities are heritable

Dynamic modelling reveals that these abnormal networks are inherently unstable and spontaneously generate seizure-like activity