Many children with epilepsy have severe and permanent adverse cognitive, behavioral and quality of life outcomes. However, the relative contributions of seizures, epileptic discharges in the EEG and etiology to those long term outcomes are not usually known. Current treatment strategies emphasize the role of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for termination of seizures with the hope that this will also minimize cognitive and behavioral impairments. Unfortunately clinical evidence for better outcomes following AED therapy is disappointing, and may even make cognition worse. If the major determinants of outcome are not seizure related phenomena but rather the underlying brain disorder, then therapeutic approaches which are broader than antiepileptic drug use (e.g.educational programs) may ultimately have major positive impacts on outcomes of childhood epilepsy. We now propose to test the hypothesis that the additional effect of seizures in the context of malformations of cortical development is minor. We further hypothesize that these adverse outcomes are related to abnormalities in brain structure and in the integration of single unit firing with oscillatory activities. Finally, these adverse outcomes will be worsened by AEDs and improved with cognitive training. In an animal model of cortical dysplasia we will investigate the additional impact of early life seizures, during development and in adulthood, on spatial cognition and prefrontal cortex function. We will also investigate the structural and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying those outcomes and evaluate the therapeutic potential of cognitive training.

Public Health Relevance

If our hypothesis that etiology is a major predictor of outcomes then the results of the proposed studies should lead to major conceptual changes in research directions and on the most appropriate therapeutic strategies for children with epilepsies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01NS075249-06S1
Application #
9068524
Study Section
Acute Neural Injury and Epilepsy Study Section (ANIE)
Program Officer
Fureman, Brandy E
Project Start
2011-09-01
Project End
2016-05-31
Budget Start
2015-06-01
Budget End
2016-05-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
$48,360
Indirect Cost
$14,545
Name
University of Vermont & St Agric College
Department
Neurology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
066811191
City
Burlington
State
VT
Country
United States
Zip Code
05405
Hernan, Amanda E; Mahoney, J Matthew; Curry, Willie et al. (2018) Environmental enrichment normalizes hippocampal timing coding in a malformed hippocampus. PLoS One 13:e0191488
Sánchez Fernández, Iván; Goodkin, Howard P; Scott, Rod C (2018) Pathophysiology of convulsive status epilepticus. Seizure :
Hernan, Amanda E; Schevon, Catherine A; Worrell, Gregory A et al. (2017) Methodological standards and functional correlates of depth in vivo electrophysiological recordings in control rodents. A TASK1-WG3 report of the AES/ILAE Translational Task Force of the ILAE. Epilepsia 58 Suppl 4:28-39
Scott, Rod C (2016) Network science for the identification of novel therapeutic targets in epilepsy. F1000Res 5:
Mahoney, J Matthew; Titiz, Ali S; Hernan, Amanda E et al. (2016) Short-Range Temporal Interactions in Sleep; Hippocampal Spike Avalanches Support a Large Milieu of Sequential Activity Including Replay. PLoS One 11:e0147708
Jellett, Adam P; Jenks, Kyle; Lucas, Marcella et al. (2015) Standard dose valproic acid does not cause additional cognitive impact in a rodent model of intractable epilepsy. Epilepsy Res 110:88-94
Flynn, Sean P; Barriere, Sylvain; Barrier, Sylvain et al. (2015) Status Epilepticus Induced Spontaneous Dentate Gyrus Spikes: In Vivo Current Source Density Analysis. PLoS One 10:e0132630
Lenck-Santini, Pierre-Pascal; Scott, Rodney C (2015) Mechanisms Responsible for Cognitive Impairment in Epilepsy. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 5:
Titiz, A S; Mahoney, J M; Testorf, M E et al. (2014) Cognitive impairment in temporal lobe epilepsy: role of online and offline processing of single cell information. Hippocampus 24:1129-45
Scott, Rod C (2014) Consequences of febrile seizures in childhood. Curr Opin Pediatr 26:662-7

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