WAND-NDE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Welsh Advanced Neuroimaging Database in Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy (WAND-NDE)
IRAS ID
250468
Contact name
Khalid Hamandi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 29 days
Research summary
This research aims to combine the clinical expertise, and the patient resource at the Epilepsy Unit, University Hospital of Wales, and the new Cardiff University Brain Imaging Research Centre (CUBRIC) to identify brain structural and functional alterations in people presenting with newly onset epilepsy.\n\nEpilepsy is a disorder of neural networks, resulting in seizures, and co-occurring neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric problems. \n\nAlthough initial epileptogenesis may arise from local neuronal circuit disruption via imbalances in neurotransmitter systems, broader impairments, including the most damaging effects on cognition and development, may be mediated by disruption of regional and global networks of coupled activity. Epilepsy therefore generates structure/function variance across a variety of scales, from local and global oscillatory dynamics, metabolic and \nhaemodynamic disturbance to cortical and white-matter microstructure. \n\nOnly a limited number of studies concentrate on the investigation of neuronal networks and structural and functional abnormalities in drug naive patients and none of them have looked at the role of medication, because of logistical challenges to recruitment and scanning. Nevertheless this is a very important area which this study hopes to address. \n\nThe study will be conduced in 30 subjects presenting or referred to the Welsh Epilepsy Unit, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, where a new diagnosis of epilepsy is made. They will be invited to CUBRIC and will undergo several tests: Neuroimaging (MEG, MRI) , neuropsychology and genetic test (saliva sample); before or at the start of anti-epileptic drug treatment. \n
REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
18/WA/0295
Date of REC Opinion
3 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion