Mutual Interactions Between Absence Epilepsy Seizures and the Integration of Sensory Stimuli

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Epileptic seizures arise from neuronal defects that often alter the capacity of the brain to process sensory information. During absence seizures, a frequent epileptic syndrome in children, the normal conscious and perceptual processes are temporarily interrupted. This is the result of abnormal synchronized neural activities in the thalamo-cortical loops, leading to bilateral spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) in the cortical electroencephalograms (EEGs). The brain mechanisms underlying the lack of sensory experience during absence seizures are disputed. Based on preliminary data, the investigators hypothesize that the alternation of 'spike' and 'wave' patterns during seizure could cause a time-to-time inconstancy in cortical responsiveness, preventing conscious perception. Using a real-time closed-loop stimulation system, the investigators will research how the S- and W-patterns specifically alter the sensory-evoked responses in the EEG. During a standard EEG, visual stimulations will be applied between and during absence seizures to test the hypothesis that repeated sensory stimuli, applied with an appropriate timing relative to the seizure-related oscillatory cycle, could negatively interfere with the regenerative network mechanisms involved in the occurrence of SWDs. The completion of this project should permit to unveil a new neuronal mechanism supporting the lack of conscious experience during absences and pave the way for new clinical non-invasive strategies to interrupt ongoing seizure activity.

Official Title
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Mutual Interactions Between Absence Epilepsy Seizures and the Integration of Sensory Stimuli

Conditions
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Childhood or Juvenile Absence Epilepsy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Timed repetitive sensory stimulation


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion criteria : Age 2-20 years childhood or juvenile absence epilepsy defined by International Ligue Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Electroencephalogram (EEG) indicated for clinical follow-up Non inclusion criteria: Visual deficit Abnormal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Medical history of photosensitive epileptic seizures

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 2 Years
Maximum Age: 21 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Timed repetitive sensory stimulation<br>Timed repetitive sensory stimulation (TRSS) will be applied at the onset or during seizures | Procedure: Timed repetitive sensory stimulation<br>* Timed repetitive sensory stimulation (TRSS) will be applied at the onset or during seizures<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Modification of the frequency within the peak-wave complexes according to the repeated sensory stimulation and the duration of the absence epilespy crisis | Modification of the frequency within the peak-wave complexes according to the repeated sensory stimulation and the duration of the absence epilespy crisis | 1 hour | 
| Modification of the duration of the absence epilespy crisis according to the repeated sensory stimulation | Modification of the duration of the absence epilespy crisis according to the repeated sensory stimulation | 1 hour |