Clinical trial NCT00393666: Why Are Patients With Absence Seizures Absent? A Brain Imaging Study
Official title: Functional Neuroimaging in Childhood Absence Epilepsy
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Childhood Absence Epilepsy
Keywords: Absence
Epilepsy
Seizure
Brain
Lead sponsor: Yale University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
First posted: 2006-10-29
Enrollment: 180
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 6
Maximum age (years): 18
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Pediatric patients diagnosed with absence epilepsy

Brief summary: Our study examines which different brain regions are involved in child absence seizures and how they are related to attention and cognition.

Detailed description: The fundamental mechanisms of altered brain function and impaired attention in childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) are not known. Absence seizures consist of brief 5-10 seconds episodes of unresponsiveness, associated with a 3-4 Hz "spike-wave" discharge on electroencephalogram (EEG). CAE affects 10-15% of children with epilepsy. In addition to the deficit during seizures, many children also suffer from milder attention impairment between absence episodes, which may not be due entirely to medications. Impaired attention during and between absence seizures has a major negative impact on patient quality of life due to deficits in school performance, potential for injuries, and social stigma.

Recent studies suggest that impaired cognition in so-called "generalized" absence seizures may, in fact, depend on dysfunction in specific brain networks. Our central hypothesis is: abnormal function in focal brain regions, such as the anterior cingulate/medial prefrontal cortex and medial thalamus, causes impaired attention both during and between seizures in CAE. If confirmed, this may lead to innovative regional therapies targeted at improving impaired attention in CAE. Specifically, we hope to determine which specific cortical and sub-cortical networks are selectively involved when patients show impaired attention. Using simultaneous EEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we will determine which brain regions are involved in absence seizures while using a continuous performance task (CPT) to test attention vigilance in the same patients. A few neuropsychology tests will then follow. Patients will be reimbursed $100 as well as all travel and parking expenses.

For more information, please visit www.yalecae.com

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Confirmed diagnosis of childhood absence epilepsy or juvenile absence epilepsy
* No other serious health problems or neurological problems
* 6 years or older

Exclusion Criteria:

* No history of myoclonic or tonic-clonic seizures

Primary outcomes:
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: New Haven
country: United States
facility: Yale University School of Medicine, Neurology Department
state: Connecticut
Study officials:
affiliation: Yale University
name: Hal Blumenfeld, MD, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Diagnostic Radiology
name: Michiro Negishi, PhD
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
affiliation: Yale University
name: R. Todd Constable, PhD
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
affiliation: Yale University
name: Jennifer Guo, MS
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
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