High-gamma brain mapping to find language areas during epilepsy surgery

Diagnostic validity and safety of high-gamma language mapping with intracranial EEG

NIH-funded research Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr · NIH-11293468

This project aims to use high-gamma brain signals from implanted electrodes to safely find language areas in children and adults with drug-resistant epilepsy who are having surgery.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionCincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Cincinnati, United States)
Project IDNIH-11293468 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you have drug-resistant epilepsy and are planning surgery, doctors will place intracranial electrodes and record high-gamma activity while you perform simple language tasks. The team will create maps of language areas from these high-gamma signals and compare them with the current standard method, electrical stimulation mapping. They will track language function and seizure outcomes after surgery to see whether this approach preserves speech and improves results. The study includes both pediatric and adult patients who require intracranial monitoring as part of their care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are children or adults with drug-resistant epilepsy who are undergoing intracranial electrode monitoring as part of pre-surgical planning.

Not a fit: People who are not candidates for intracranial monitoring, are not having epilepsy surgery, or do not have language-related risks are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could make language mapping during epilepsy surgery more accurate and safer, helping preserve speech and reduce post-surgical language problems.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work from this team and others has shown that task-related high-gamma mapping can localize language areas and may predict language outcomes better than electrical stimulation mapping, though it is not yet widely adopted in clinical practice.

Where this research is happening

Cincinnati, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.