[1002] Epilepsy and Brain Networks
We use non-invasive brain imaging techniques to study the activity and the structural changes in the brain of persons suffering from epilepsy. Electroencephalography (EEG) measures the electrical activity of the brain with scalp electrodes. Electric source localisation based on EEG, notably with high density recordings, allows to localise brain activity. Simultaneous recordings ofEEG and functional MRI (EEG-fMRI) allow to detect hemodynamic changes in the whole brain that are related to electrical activity detected on the EEG.
We are interested in the validation of these tehcniques and their impact on diagnosis and prognosis with the goal to translate them into reliable clinical biomarkers.
Localisation of epileptic activity: Our work confirmed the accuracy of ESI and EEG-fMRI for the localisation of the epileptogenic zone in patients who are candidates for epilepsy surgery. We are also developing automatic analyses to increase the availability of the technique.
Brain connectivity: Our projects show that connectivity changes between brain regions are related to certain cognitive deficits. They also allow to identify patients with epilepsy, even when the EEG appears normal.
Structural and functional connections: Relationships between brain “wiring” and its functions represent a core issue in neuroscience that we study by combining functional techniques with fibre tractography based on diffusion MRI.