Research Projects

The project aims to examine brain motor re-organization and plasticity in People With Epilepsy (PWE) using a multimodal approach. Structural correlates of motor plasticity will be analyzed using clinical evaluation, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), and volumetric analysis on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Functional correlates will be analyzed using clinical evaluation of mirror movements, functional MRI (fMRI), navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (nTMS), and Magnetoencephalography. Molecular mechanisms of plasticity will be explored by analyzing neurotrophic factors like Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and NMDA receptor expression in the epileptic brain. The hypothesis is that structural correlates correlate best with current motor deficits, while functional correlates are better predictors of motor deficits after surgery. The study will recruit 55 patients with epilepsy whose epilepsy networks overlap motor pathways. A comprehensive and multimodal assessment will be made and correlated with the patient's motor deficits. Post-surgical motor and seizure outcomes will be assessed and correlated using pre-specified outcome measures. Statistical analysis will include multiple regression analysis for predicting outcomes.