Magnetoencephalography in the study of epilepsy and consciousness.
Elaine Foley, Antonella Cerquiglini, Andrea E. Cavanna, Mable Angela Nakubulwa, Paul Lawrence Furlong, Caroline Witton, Stefano Seri
Epilepsy & Behavior January 2014 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.09.005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Absence seizures Connectivity Epilepsy Magnetoencephalography Phase lag index |
| Key findings | Argues that spike-wave discharges in absence seizures are associated with perturbations in optimal connectivity within and between brain regions, and presents indirect evidence that this may explain the cognitive deficits experienced during prolonged 3 per second spike-wave discharges. |
Abstract
The neural bases of altered consciousness in patients with epilepsy during seizures and at rest have raised significant interest in the last decade. This exponential growth has been supported by the parallel development of techniques and methods to investigate brain function noninvasively with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. In this article, we review the contribution of magnetoencephalography to deconvolve the bioelectrical changes associated with impaired consciousness during seizures. We use data collected from a patient with refractory absence seizures to discuss how spike-wave discharges are associated with perturbations in optimal connectivity within and between brain regions and discuss indirect evidence to suggest that this phenomenon might explain the cognitive deficits experienced during prolonged 3/s spike-wave discharges.