Quantitative analysis of generalized discharges of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy using EEG and neuroimaging

Abstract

Idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE) are a group of epilepsies in which the interictal electroencephalogram (EEG) shows generalized discharges and conventional neuroimaging is normal. In the evaluation of patients with epilepsy, the clinical picture, the EEG, and neuroimaging are crucial. These steps are important for the correct diagnosis and classification of epilepsies. The quantitative analysis of a diagnostic method consists in the application of mathematical algorithms by computer softwares with the objective of to increase the sensitivity of the method. The presence of clinical, electroencephalographic and neuroimaging focalities in patients with IGE is not rare. In this study, we will perform a multimodal quantitative analysis of the EEG and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained from 20 juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) patients. Patients will be prospectively selected according to the clinical history from the Epilepsy Clinic of the Botucatu's Medical School Hospital. Each patient will be submitted to EEG and MRI. Patients with interictal generalized spike and wave (GSW) discharges will be included in the investigation. Quantitative techniques of analysis will be used for GSW discharges evaluation aiming to verify their focal features (dipole source imaging) and their intra and inter-individual deviations. The volumetric sequence of MRI will be used for quantitative analysis. We will apply voxel-based morphometry (VBM) for comparisons between patients and a control group of 20 individuals. The main objective of this project is to investigate the pathophysiology of JME. Quantitative techniques of EEG and neuroimaging analysis will be used with the following specific objectives: to describe focal features of GSW discharges and their relationships with clinical picture and neuroimaging.