Noninvasive brain mapping to find seizure networks in children with hard-to-treat epilepsy
Noninvasive Mapping of Functional and Effective Connectivity in Children with Drug Resistant Epilepsy
This project uses noninvasive brain recordings and connectivity maps to help locate seizure-causing networks in children whose epilepsy does not respond to medication.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cook Children's Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Worth, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238074 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would have noninvasive brain recordings taken while not having a seizure to capture interictal spikes and brain activity patterns. Researchers will create normal reference maps from typically developing children and then compare those maps to children with drug-resistant epilepsy to find abnormal network connections. Advanced algorithms will be used to trace how spikes spread and identify key network nodes that may be driving seizures. The goal is to guide more precise surgical or stimulation approaches and potentially reduce the need for long invasive monitoring.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children with drug-resistant focal epilepsy who are being evaluated as potential candidates for resective surgery are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People with generalized epilepsy, well-controlled seizures on medication, or those not being considered for surgery are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve the chance of seizure freedom after surgery while reducing invasive tests and protecting brain functions.
How similar studies have performed: Prior noninvasive connectivity and spike-mapping studies have shown promise but remain experimental and not yet consistently proven in pediatric surgical planning.
Where this research is happening
Fort Worth, United States
- Cook Children's Medical Center — Fort Worth, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Papadelis, Christos — Cook Children's Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Papadelis, Christos
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 below.