New MRI tools to better plan pediatric epilepsy surgery
Official title: Novel MRI Approaches to Improve Presurgical Benefit-Risk Evaluation in Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery
Funded at Wayne State University · NIH-11607995 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new MRI-based approach helps doctors decide the best time to surgically remove brain tissue in children with difficult-to-control seizures.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wayne State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Detroit, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2015 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $551,047 |
| NIH project number | 2R56NS089659-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11607995 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children aged 0-11 with drug-resistant epilepsy who are being considered for surgical evaluation.
✕Less likely to help
Children whose seizures are unlikely to be improved by surgery or when non-surgical options are preferred may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to improve how doctors map the epileptogenic zone in kids to maximize seizure relief while minimizing risks to development. It seeks non-invasive imaging cues that can predict surgical outcomes better than current methods. The study will use advanced MRI analyses to inform families and clinicians about likely benefits and potential risks before deciding on surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help families choose the right time for surgery and reduce cognitive and developmental impacts from seizures.
How similar studies have gone: Previous imaging approaches improved planning in some cases, but precise, non-invasive prediction in children remains challenging and this work aims to advance that.
Where this research is happening
-
Wayne State University
Detroit, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jeong, Jeong-Won — Wayne State University
- Study coordinator: Jeong, Jeong-Won
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Scaling Up Task-Shifted Epilepsy Care for Children in Africa
A study to help children with epilepsy in Africa get diagnosed and receive seizure care through trained community health workers.
-
Closed-loop control of interneuron timing to influence seizures and memory in epilepsy
A study tests a brain-quieting system that uses light to precisely time certain brain cells in epilepsy-prone mice to see if this can lessen seizures and improve memory.
-
Epilepsy Data Ecosystem: A Big-Data Sharing Platform for Better Care
A national effort to collect and share large, multi‑modal brain data from people with medication‑resistant epilepsy to speed discoveries and improve treatment options.
-
Exploring epilepsy genes in zebrafish to understand human brain seizures
A study in zebrafish will model human epilepsy genes to help explain how certain brain mutations contribute to seizures.
-
Sahel Epilepsy Study: finding patterns in epilepsy in rural Africa and its links to genes
A plan to study epilepsy in rural Nigeria to discover how common it is, what factors affect risk, and how genetics may influence it, with results that could improve care for people with epilepsy.
-
Role of ATP1A3 mutations in sudden death related to epilepsy
Aims to understand how ATP1A3 gene changes may lead to sudden death in kids with epilepsy and is exploring new ways to prevent it.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.