Publications by authors named "R El Tahry"
For patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who are not candidates for epilepsy surgery, Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is the most widely available neuromodulation option and has been available in several countries for 30 years. Given its broad availability and extended history on the market, many healthcare providers (HCPs) have developed individualized practice habits regarding the titration and dosing of VNS. This study provides novel evidence to describe the extent to which VNS management differs among providers and discusses recent literature that indicates how unique programming approaches may impact patient outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) Therapy is routinely indicated for people with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). We analyzed the baseline characteristics of individuals receiving the recently released VNS models and identified factors associated with early or late implantation.
Methods: The Comprehensive Outcomes Registry of subjects with Epilepsy (CORE-VNS), a prospective observational study evaluating the clinical and psychosocial outcomes of VNS Therapy®, is following participants for up to 60 months after VNS implantation.
Article Synopsis
- Seizures trigger both sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic symptoms, with the vagus nerve playing a crucial role in relaying information between the brain and organs, potentially aiding in seizure detection.
- The study successfully developed a VENG detection algorithm that identified 65% of induced seizures in a rat model, demonstrating a mean detection delay of about 25 seconds but also highlighting that some seizures went undetected due to variability in detection parameters.
- Statistical analysis revealed differences in brain wave activity (Delta, Theta, Beta bands) between detected and undetected seizures, indicating distinct seizure patterns may influence how autonomic responses are activated; however, the lack of respiration data points to future research needs.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) can help treat Drug-Resistant Epilepsy (DRE) by examining the role of thalamocortical tracts in the brain's response to the treatment.
- Using advanced MRI techniques, researchers analyzed the microstructural features of thalamocortical tracts in 18 DRE patients, identifying differences between those who responded to VNS and those who did not.
- A Support Vector Machine model showed a high classification accuracy (94.12%), indicating that certain structural brain characteristics are associated with treatment outcomes, with clinical factors not significantly enhancing the predictive ability.
There are currently no established biomarkers for predicting the therapeutic effectiveness of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS). Given that neural desynchronization is a pivotal mechanism underlying VNS action, EEG synchronization measures could potentially serve as predictive biomarkers of VNS response. Notably, an increased brain synchronization in delta band has been observed during sleep-potentially due to an activation of thalamocortical circuitry, and interictal epileptiform discharges are more frequently observed during sleep.
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