ObjectiveTo retrospectively study the acute epileptic seizures of patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR)and anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1(anti-LGI1)encephalitis. The characteristics and short-term prognosis provide reference for early clinical diagnosis and treatment.MethodsThe patients with anti-NMDAR and anti-LGI1 encephalitis who were admitted to the Department of Neurology of Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital from January 2018 to June 2020 were continuously included. The general information, clinical manifestations, acute seizures and types of seizures were reviewed and analyzed.To evaluate the difference between the characteristics of two kinds of autoimmune encephalitis in the acute phase of seizures and the short-term prognosis.ResultsA total of 75 patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and anti-LGI1 encephalitis (41 males and 34 females) were included, of which average ages are(32.8±17.9)years, average courses are(1.8±1.1)months.59 and 16 are respectively positive for anti-NMDAR and anti-LGI1 antibodies, respectively. Of the 75 cases, 56 cases (74.7%) had seizures in the acute phase. Among the 56 cases of seizures, 38 cases (67.8%) were accompanied by disturbances of consciousness, 5 cases (8.9%) of autonomic dysfunction, and 24 cases of decreased oxygenation capacity. (42.9%) and 20 cases (35.7%) who were admitted to NICU, there was a significant statistical difference compared with the seizure-free group (P<0.05). The median age of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in the acute stage of seizures was 23 years, and that of anti-LGI1 encephalitis was 56.5 years (P<0.05). Anti-NMDAR encephalitis and anti-LGI1 encephalitis are common in the acute phase of epileptic seizures (55.9%vs.53.8%). Anti-NMDAR encephalitis has more frequent seizures and status epilepticus in the acute phase (P<0.05). After early and rational use of anti-epileptic drugs(AEDs) and immunotherapy and other symptomatic and supportive treatments, 70% of 56 patients were effectively controlled for seizure. Follow-up 3 months later, 18 patients (32.1%) stopped using anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), While 30 patients (53.5%) continued to receive AEDs treatment, of which 25 patients (44.6%) had no seizures.ConclusionBoth anti-NMDAR encephalitis and anti-LGI1 encephalitis have a higher risk of seizures in the acute phase. Patients with seizures are more likely to have disturbances in consciousness, decreased oxygenation capacity, and higher rates of admission to NICU. Anti-NMDAR encephalitis is more common in young people around 30 years old, and anti-LGI1 encephalitis is more likely to develop around 60 years old. Patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis are more likely to have abnormal electroencephalograms, have a longer average hospital stay, and are more likely to have recurrent seizures and status epilepticus in the acute phase. After timely diagnosis and intervention treatment, most patients' seizures can be well controlled. After the acute phase, AEDs can be withdrawed in one third of patients.
At present, there are few studies on patients with epilepsy (PWE) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the results of many studies are inconsistent. SARS-CoV-2 may cause new seizures through a variety of mechanisms, and the susceptibility and mortality of PWE to SARS-CoV-2 remains controversial. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, anxiety, depression and other psychological problems were common among epileptic patients. Clinicians providing telemedicine, telephone chat and video call can effectively reduce the risk of psychological disorders in PWE patients. At the same time, there are many interactions between antiepileptic drugs and various antiviral drugs, which should be carefully considered when using. Considering that the research results are few and many studies contradict each other, PWE and SARS-CoV-2 deserve further exploration in future studies.
Intracranial electrographic recording, especially stereoencephalography (SEEG), remains the gold standard for preoperative localization in epilepsy patients. However, this method is invasive and has low spatial resolution. In 1982, magnetoencephalography (MEG) began to be used in epilepsy clinics. MEG is not affected by the skull and scalp, can provide signals with high temporal and spatial resolution, and can be used to determine the epiletogensis zone (EZ) and the seizure onset zone (SOZ). Magnetic source imaging (MSI) is a method that superimposes the MEG data on a magnetic resonance image (MRI) and has become a major tool for presurgical localization. The applicability of MEG data has been largely improved by the development of many post-MRI processing methods in the last 20 years. In terms of the sensitivity of localization, MEG is superior to VEEG, MRI, PET and SPECT, despite inferiority to SEEG. MEG can also assist in the intracranial placement of electrodes and improve preoperative planning. Limitations of MEG include high cost, insensitivity to radiation source, and difficulty in locating deep EZ in the medial regions of the brain. These limitations could be overcome by new generations of equipment and improvement of algorithmics.
ObjectiveWe report a special case to explain seizure semiology and epileptogenic network of seizure arising from ventral motor cortex, and to explore Focal cortical dycplasia (FCD) features on MR of epileptic patients with DEPDC5 mutation.MethodsA drug-resistant focal epilepsy patient with DEPDC5 mutation was underwent a detailed presurgical evaluation. The epileptogenic area(EA) was localized with SEEG and removed later by surgery. Related literatures were thoroughly reviewed.ResultsSubtle FCD of ventral branch of inferior precentral sulcus(IPv) on MR(1.5T) was noticed. With SEEG recording, seizure onset zone was detected on IPv with the probable lesion, early spreading to anterior insula, central operculum and ventral precentral gyrus. According to the architectures of ventral motor trend, seizure semiology with evolution from contralateral dystonia to ipsilateral chorea movement could be better comprehended. Seizure was controlled after totally resection on the sites of IPv, anterior insula, and central operculum. Pathological change was FCD type I. Other literatures reported that DEPDC5 mutation related FCD may be located in motor system, and seizure onset could also be in anterior insula cortex besides motor cortex in other SEEG cases.ConclusionsEarly contralateral dystonia and chorea movement could be definite figures of seizure arising from inferior precentral sulcus; DEPDC5 mutation maybe a clue to find subtle FCD in motor cortex.
Objective
To explore the damage, damage model and influence factors of the empathy ability on patients with epilepsy by the Chinese version of interpersonal reaction index scale (IRI-C).
Methods
Eighty-eight non-symptomatic epilepsy patients who were from the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University and 100 healthy controls were included in the study from March 2015 to January 2016. Patients with serious cognitive impairment and severe anxiety or depression were ruled out through neural psychology background screening (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Hamilton anxiety and depression scale) due to their influence on empathy scores. Thereafter the empathy ability was compared between epilepsy patients and healthy controls using the IRI-C, and the effect of seizure type on empathy ability was analyzed. According to the epileptic seizure types of generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS), patients were divided into 3 groups: non-GTCS group (simple or complex partial seizure, n=17), pure GTCS group (only primary GTCS attack, n=23) and SGS group (partial onset secondary GTCS,n=48). The control group included 100 healthy participants. In order to ensure the balance of sample size, 30 samples are randomly selected from SGS and control groups respectively for statistical analysis. Then patients were divided in two groups according to whether he/she has complex partial seizure (CPS), and 30 patients in each group. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS18.0 software package.
Results
① The total IRI-C Empathy scores, Cognitive empathy (CE) and two factors of the patients in epilepsy group were lower than those in control group (P<0.05), while there was no statistical difference in Emotional Empathy (EE) and two factors between groups (P>0.05). ②ANOVA showed the points of CE (include two factors) and total scores of empathy mean different between the four groups (P<0.05), and EE (include two factors) scores were no statistically significant differences between the four groups (P>0.05). The CE scores were differences between the GTCS group, pure GTCS group and SGS group. The scores of the perspective-taking was statistically significant differences (P<0.05) between the pure GTCS group and the SGS group. The scores of perspective-taking of SGS group were lower than the other groups (P<0.05) . In other words, the scores of the perspective-taking of SGS group were lower than those of the other three groups, and the CE scores were lower than the GTCS group and the control group. ③ The opinion selection, imagination, CE and total empathy score of CPS group were all worse than that of non-CPS group (P<0.05).
Conclusions
The empathy ability of epilepsy patientswere impaired in CE, but reserved in EE Epileptic subtype CPS and GTCS were risk factors of the decline in empathy ability in epilepsy patients.
Patients with autoimmune encephalitis are mainly characterized by behavioral, mental and motor abnormalities, neurological dysfunction, memory deficits and seizures. Different antibody types of autoimmune encephalitis its pathogenesis, clinical characteristics are different, in recent years found immune related epilepsy is closely related to autoimmune encephalitis, based on autoimmune encephalitis type is more, we choose more common autoimmune encephalitis, expounds its characteristics, to help clinical diagnosis.
Objective To preliminarily analyse the phenomenon of the first seizure in patients with epilepsy while driving a motor vehicle, and discuss its harms and possible coping strategies. Methods The first seizure while driving a motor vehicle was investigated among epilepsy patients who attended the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from June 2020 to March 2023. Results A total of five patients had their first seizure while driving a motor vehicle, all causing traffic accidents. One patient had a generalized tonic-clonic seizure with a first epileptic seizure, two had focal seizures with impaired consciousness that progressed to generalized seizures, and two had focal seizures with impaired awareness. One of the patients caused a fatal traffic accident, leading to the death of another person who riding the electric bicycle. In this case, the patient's driving license was revoked. The other four patients continued to drive after the first seizure. One patient terminated driving 5 months after the diagnosis of epilepsy. Two patients drove less since then, and one patient continued driving as before. Two patients experienced seizures again while driving, and one of them coincidentally had his second seizure while driving. Conclusions The first seizure while driving may not be uncommon, reflecting the severity of epilepsy and driving, in which traffic accidents can be fatal. People with epilepsy are currently prohibited from driving in China. After the first seizure, patients should immediately stop driving and go to see an epileptologist, avoiding further endangering themselves and the public.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical data of 5 cases of congenital hyperinsulinemia with sizures as the initial symptoms.
MethodsRisk factors in perinatal period, clinical manifestation, laboratory examination, treatment and follow-up visits of 5 cases of congenital hyperinsulinemia with sizures as the initial symptoms were analyzed retrospectively, who were admitted to Department of Neurology of Jiangxi Children's Hospital from July 2012 to August 2016.
Results5 children were all male. The onset time varied from 3 to 9 mouths old. All the cases presented seizures as the main clinical manifestations, persistent hypoglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, low free fatty acid and hypoketonemia. During follow-up, treatment with diazoxide and dietary therapy was effective in 3 cases, pure dietary therapy ineffective in 2 cases. 3 cases manifested as acute symptomic seizures, 2 cases as remote symptomic epilepsy. During follow-up, 1 cases showed normal intelligence, 3 cases developmental delay, and 1 case dropout.
ConclusionMost of the infants with congenital hyperinsulinemia presented seizures as initial symptoms. Severe hypoglycemia and long duration would damage brain, and early management may significantly improve the prognosis. The early diagnosis can be made by measuring fasting blood glucose, insulin, free fatty acid and, plasma β-hydroxybutyric acid, C peptide and so on. The majority of children were effective by diazoxide.
ObjectiveTo determine the feasibility as well as the attitudes among caregivers of children and adolescents with epilepsy and adult patients with epilepsy in China towards the use of smart phone applications (apps) for the management of seizures.
MethodsThe caregivers of children and adolescents with epilepsy, ages ranging from 0 to 17 years old and adult patients who were more than 18 years old, were enrolled in the study from the Epilepsy Prevention and Cure Center of West China Hospital within the time period from June to December 2015. A questionnaire gauging the attitudes towards using apps for seizure management was administered to the 502 epilepsy patients and 390 caregivers of children and adolescents with epilepsy.
ResultsAmong adult patients, they were more likely to use an app in those who were young, lived in cities, had higher education, had a stable employment and had frequent seizures (P=0.002, P<0.001, P=0.001, P<0.001, P=0.01). Among caregivers of children and adolescents with epilepsy, participants were more likely to use an app in those who were male (P=0.03), had a higher education level, a higher annual household income as well as stable job (P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.02).
ConclusionThe results of this study imply a favorable attitude towards the use of apps for seizure management among adult patients and caregivers of children and adolescents with epilepsy. The use of such apps in China represents a promising strategy among caregivers for seizure management.
The deep learning-based automatic detection of epilepsy electroencephalogram (EEG), which can avoid the artificial influence, has attracted much attention, and its effectiveness mainly depends on the deep neural network model. In this paper, an attention-based multi-scale residual network (AMSRN) was proposed in consideration of the multiscale, spatio-temporal characteristics of epilepsy EEG and the information flow among channels, and it was combined with multiscale principal component analysis (MSPCA) to realize the automatic epilepsy detection. Firstly, MSPCA was used for noise reduction and feature enhancement of original epilepsy EEG. Then, we designed the structure and parameters of AMSRN. Among them, the attention module (AM), multiscale convolutional module (MCM), spatio-temporal feature extraction module (STFEM) and classification module (CM) were applied successively to signal reexpression with attention weighted mechanism as well as extraction, fusion and classification for multiscale and spatio-temporal features. Based on the Children’s Hospital Boston-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (CHB-MIT) public dataset, the AMSRN model achieved good results in sensitivity (98.56%), F1 score (98.35%), accuracy (98.41%) and precision (98.43%). The results show that AMSRN can make good use of brain network information flow caused by seizures to enhance the difference among channels, and effectively capture the multiscale and spatio-temporal features of EEG to improve the performance of epilepsy detection.
