An Examination of Cognitive and Sensorimotor Processes in Patients With Epilepsy
An Examination of Cognitive and Sensorimotor Processes in Patients With Epilepsy
The overall goal of this project is to better understand the micro-physiology of human
 epilepsy and cognition using the intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG), electrical brain
 stimulation, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and histology.
The overall goal of this project is to better understand the micro-physiology of human
 epilepsy and cognition using iEEG, electrical brain stimulation, fMRI, and histology.

 Specific AIM 1: Mapping cognitive networks using intracranial electrodes, functional magnetic
 resonance imaging, and cognitive tasks. To identify brain areas and mechanisms involved in
 cognitive function we will ask participants to perform tasks while their brain activity is
 measured with intracranial electrodes or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

 Specific AIM 2: Using microelectrodes to better understand the mechanisms of seizure genesis
 and spread. We will use microelectrodes to measure activity within single neurons, data that
 will allow us to tease apart incoming and outgoing activity to a brain area.

 Specific AIM 3: Using macroscale measures of brain connectivity to map functional and
 epileptogenic brain areas. We will measure connectivity between macroscale brain regions via
 variety of techniques: diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), fMRI, cortico-cortical evoked
 potentials (CCEP), and intracranial electrophysiology. We believe that epileptogenic and
 functional regions will be mutually segregated by their connectivity patterns.

 Specific AIM 4: Using EEG/iEEG source localization to better identify the sources of
 epileptiform activity. We will construct models of participants' heads via MRI and CT, which
 will potentially allow us to localize the neural generators of EEG and iEEG recordings.

 Specific AIM 5: Investigating the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on
 cortical excitability and cognitive function. We will apply tES to epileptogenic and
 functional brain regions and evaluate the effects of this stimulation on microelectrode
 recordings, CCEPs, and cognitive tasks.

 Specific AIM 6: Studying local connectivity of epileptic brain tissue with histology. We will
 reserve a small portion of resected brain tissue from patients who have undergone surgical
 resection for histological analysis to better understand altered patterns of neural
 connectivity in epilepsy.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Subjects are selected on the basis of intractability of their seizures to medical
 intervention by antiepileptic drugs and following a noninvasive workup that indicates
 the patient would be an excellent candidate for resective surgery.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patient is under the age of 5