The development of Stereo-Electroencephalography (SEEG) in Southeast Asia and Oceania: Challenges to equity across the region.

Background: Invasive/ intracranial EEG forms an important component of assessment for epilepsy surgery in many patients with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy (DRE). Intracranial EEG has been poorly utilized though Southeast Asia (SEA) and Oceania. This study aimed to document the development of stereo-EEG (SEEG) across the region and highlight regional barriers to utilization and access.

Clinician Understanding, Acceptance and utilization of Ketogenic diet therapy for epilepsy in Australia and New Zealand: An online survey.

Ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) is an established treatment for people with epilepsy. As increasing evidence demonstrates effectiveness and safety of KDT on seizure reduction, cognition and behaviour, it is essential to evaluate factors hindering and supporting neurologists in prescribing KDT to strengthen quality, evidence-based, appropriate and equitable care. A study of Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) neurologists was undertaken via an online survey.

The network is more important than the node: stereo-EEG evidence of neurocognitive networks in epilepsy.

Introduction: Neuropsychological assessment forms an integral part of the presurgical evaluation for patients with medically refractory focal epilepsy. Our understanding of cognitive impairment in epilepsy is based on seminal lesional studies that have demonstrated important structure-function relationships within the brain. However, a growing body of literature demonstrating heterogeneity in the cognitive profiles of patients with focal epilepsy (e.

Case Report: Focal, generalized, or both: does generalized network involvement preclude successful epilepsy surgery?

We present two cases with focal seizures where scalp electroencephalography (EEG) had prominent features of a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE): Case 1: a 17-year-old male with complex motor seizures whose EEG demonstrated a slow spike-and-wave pattern and generalized paroxysmal fast activity (GPFA). Case 2: a 12-year-old male with startle-induced asymmetric tonic seizures whose EEG also had a slow spike-and-wave pattern. Both patients had intracranial EEG assessment, and focal cortical resections resulted in long-term seizure freedom and resolution of generalized findings.

Investigating the Precise Localization of the Grasping Action in the Mid-Cingulate Cortex and Future Directions.

Objective: To prospectively study the cingulate cortex for the localization and role of the grasping action in humans during electrical stimulation of depth electrodes.

Methods: All the patients ( = 23) with intractable focal epilepsy and a depth electrode stereotactically placed in the cingulate cortex, as part of their pre-surgical epilepsy evaluation from 2015 to 2017, were included. Cortical stimulation was performed and examined for grasping actions.

Janus Particle Preparation through UV-Induced Partial Photodegradation of Spin-Coated Particle Films.

Janus particles contain two or more chemical properties typically on opposing faces. With various property combinations possible, there are several potential applications, such as surfactants and drug delivery. However, scaling up the particle production process at reasonable cost is a limiting factor, and the method reported here aims to circumvent this issue.

Successful epilepsy surgery for tuberous sclerosis complex evaluated by stereoelectroencephalography.

Evaluating the candidacy for epilepsy surgery in patients with tuberous sclerosis can be challenging, particularly when non-invasive investigations do not show a clear epileptogenic zone. Stereoencephalography may be useful in such cases. We present a case in which the primary epileptogenic tuber was successfully identified by stereoencephalography, which resulted in seizure freedom following epilepsy surgery.

The varied semiology of seizures in the context of small anterior temporal encephaloceles.

Small encephaloceles of the anterior temporal pole have been increasingly recognised as an underlying epileptogenic substrate in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. The current report aims to expand on the current knowledge by emphasising that seizure semiology in such patients can vary significantly. Patients were selected from an epilepsy surgery database between 2012 and 2017.

F-FDG PET and high-resolution MRI co-registration for pre-surgical evaluation of patients with conventional MRI-negative refractory extra-temporal lobe epilepsy.

Purpose: Epilepsy that originates outside of the temporal lobe can present some of the most challenging problems for surgical therapy, especially for patients with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-negative refractory extra-temporal lobe epilepsy (ETLE). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of pre-surgical F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (F-FDG PET) and high-resolution MRI (HR-MRI) co-registration in patients with conventional MRI-negative refractory ETLE, and compare their surgical outcomes.

Methods: Sixty-seven patients with conventional MRI-negative refractory ETLE were prospectively included for pre-surgical F-FDG PET and HR-MRI examinations.

Unusual Presentation of Spinal Gout: 2 Cases Report and Literature Review.

Introduction: Gouty spondyloarthropathy is generally believed to be uncommon. Together with the fact that it can mimic a variety of disease entities, it imposes significant diagnostic challenge in our clinical practice. In this article, we report two patients diagnosed with spinal gout, and both were initially suspected to have a pyogenic infection.

Reduced complications from intracranial grid insertion by using a small grid size and a precise protocol during monitoring.

Background: A study of the risk factors associated with complications during intracranial EEG monitoring led to a change in protocol for monitoring and implantation at our centres. We conducted a study to identify any reduction in complications following the changed protocols involving the use of smaller subdural electrode arrays, continuous ICP monitoring, use of a central line, and intake of prophylactic antibiotics and dexamethasone.

Methods: We prospectively collected data on patient outcomes between 2005 and 2012 (group B) compared with patients between 1988 and 2004 (group A) before the protocol changes.

Voxel-based morphometric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) postprocessing in MRI-negative epilepsies.

Objective: In the presurgical workup of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-negative (MRI(-) or "nonlesional") pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy (PFE) patients, discovering a previously undetected lesion can drastically change the evaluation and likely improve surgical outcome. Our study utilizes a voxel-based MRI postprocessing technique, implemented in a morphometric analysis program (MAP), to facilitate detection of subtle abnormalities in a consecutive cohort of MRI(-) surgical candidates.

Methods: Included in this retrospective study was a consecutive cohort of 150 MRI(-) surgical patients.

The relationship between neuropsychological functioning and FDG-PET hypometabolism in intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

We examined the relationship between baseline neuropsychological functioning and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). We hypothesized relationships between dominant temporal lobe hypometabolism and verbal memory and between nondominant temporal lobe hypometabolism and nonverbal memory in line with the lateralized material-specific model of memory deficits in MTLE. We also hypothesized an association between performance on frontal lobe neuropsychological tests and prefrontal hypometabolism.

Myoclonic status epilepticus as a presentation of caspr2 antibody-associated autoimmune encephalitis.

We present a case of autoimmune encephalitis associated with antibodies targeting contact in-associated protein-like 2. This case is notable because of the presentation with myoclonic status epilepticus and the prolonged clinical course of refractory seizures, which are demonstrated in the accompanying videos, and not previously associated with this condition. Treatment with prednisone, intravenous immunoglobulin, plasma exchange, rituximab, cyclophosphamide, and mycophenolate mofetil resulted in significant functional improvement.

Metabolic changes in occipital lobe epilepsy with automatisms.

Purpose: Some studies suggest that the pattern of glucose hypometabolism relates not only to the ictal-onset zone but also reflects seizure propagation. We investigated metabolic changes in patients with occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) that may reflect propagation of ictal discharge during seizures with automatisms.

Methods: Fifteen patients who had undergone epilepsy surgery for intractable OLE and had undergone interictal Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography ((18)F-FDG-PET) between 1994 and 2004 were divided into two groups (with and without automatisms during seizure).

The cognitive profile of occipital lobe epilepsy and the selective association of left temporal lobe hypometabolism with verbal memory impairment.

We investigated the cognitive profile of structural occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) and whether verbal memory impairment is selectively associated with left temporal lobe hypometabolism on [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Nine patients with OLE, ages 8-29 years, completed presurgical neuropsychological assessment. Composite measures were calculated for intelligence quotient (IQ), speed, attention, verbal memory, nonverbal memory, and executive functioning.

Neuroimaging characteristics of MRI-negative orbitofrontal epilepsy with focus on voxel-based morphometric MRI postprocessing.

Purpose: The orbitofrontal (OF) region is one of the least explored regions of the cerebral cortex. There are few studies on patients with electrophysiologically and surgically confirmed OF epilepsy and a negative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study. We aimed to examine the neuroimaging characteristics of MRI-negative OF epilepsy with the focus on a voxel-based morphometric MRI postprocessing technique.

Long duration between presentation of probable anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis and either clinical relapse or positive serum autoantibodies.

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune encephalitis first described in 2007. This condition has a well-characterised clinical phenotype with a multistage presentation beginning with prodromal symptoms, psychosis, cognitive deficits, and seizures, which can progress to involve movement disorders, catatonia, autonomic instability, and central hypoventilation requiring ventilatory support. Our first patient demonstrates, to our knowledge, the longest duration between the presentation of anti-NMDAR encephalitis and clinical relapse that has thus far been described.

Relationship between preoperative hypometabolism and surgical outcome in neocortical epilepsy surgery.

Purpose: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) hypometabolism has been used to localize the epileptogenic zone. However, glucose hypometabolism remote to the ictal focus is common and its relationship to surgical outcome has not been considered in many studies. We investigated the relationship between surgical outcome and FDG-PET hypometabolism topography in a large cohort of patients with neocortical epilepsy.

Dysexecutive behaviour following deep brain lesions--a different type of disconnection syndrome?

The suppression of automatic prepotent behaviour in favour of more successful, more 'appropriate' behaviour is the primary function of the frontal lobe. Five frontal-subcortical circuits connect the frontal lobe to the basal ganglia and the thalamus. We report 17 patients with small lesions in the downstream structures of the frontal-subcortical circuits displaying severe dysexecutive behaviour.

Brain activation patterns of versive, hypermotor, and bilateral asymmetric tonic seizures.

Purpose: Patients who have seizure onset from different brain regions can produce seizures that appear clinically indistinguishable from one another. These clinically stereotypic manifestations reflect epileptic activation of specific networks. Several studies have shown that ictal perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can reveal propagated ictal activity.

The topography and significance of extratemporal hypometabolism in refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy examined by FDG-PET.

Purpose: This study aims to map the temporal and extratemporal 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)-defined hypometabolism in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). We hypothesize that quantitative analysis will reveal extensive extratemporal glucose hypometabolism (EH), that the EH is related to seizure propagation beyond the temporal lobe, hypometabolism restricted to one temporal lobe predicts a good outcome following surgery, and EH predicts a poor outcome.

Methods: Sixty-four patients were studied who had undergone temporal lobectomy for intractable MTLE and had at least 2 years of postoperative follow-up.

Risk factors for complications during intracranial electrode recording in presurgical evaluation of drug resistant partial epilepsy.

Background: Intracranial electrode monitoring is still required in epilepsy surgery; however, it is associated with significant morbidity.

Objective: To identify risk factors associated with complications during invasive intracranial EEG monitoring.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective study of all patients undergoing invasive monitoring at Westmead between 1988-2004.