Brain connections and cognition after epilepsy surgery Version 1

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Can white matter tract characteristics predict cognitive outcome following paediatric epilepsy surgery?

• IRAS ID

  164115

• Contact name

  Julie Woodfield

• Contact email

  julie.woodfield@ed.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Edinburgh

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 5 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Can changes in brain connectivity explain why some children with epilepsy show improved cognition following surgery and others do not?
  
  Children with severe epilepsy often have problems with behaviour, learning, and memory. These problems can significantly affect the quality of life of the child and their carers. Some children with medication resistant epilepsy benefit from surgical procedures to control seizures. Although the main aim of surgery is to prevent seizures, some children also show improvements in learning, behaviour, and memory after an operation. Changes in learning, behaviour, and memory are important influences on the effect of surgery on the child's life. It is not known why some children show improvements after surgery and others do not. All children who undergo surgery for epilepsy have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of their brains, electroencephalograms (EEGs) to assess brain activity, and detailed clinical and neuropsychological assessments. In some centres, the MRI scan includes a sequence to assess brain connections. This is not routinely carried out in Edinburgh at present. Children are also followed up after surgery with detailed neuropsychological and clinical assessments, and sometimes have repeat MRI's and EEG's as well. We would like to ask children undergoing epilepsy surgery in Edinburgh to undergo an additional MRI sequence to assess brain connections while they are having their routine MRI scan so that we can assess whether differences in brain connectivity are associated with improvements in learning, behaviour, and memory. This could allow the most appropriate treatment to be offered at the best time for the individual child, and help plan future treatments to give children the best chance of an independent life.

• REC name

  South East Scotland REC 01

• REC reference

  15/SS/0022

• Date of REC Opinion

  9 Mar 2015

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion