# Dynamic multimodal connectivity analysis of brain networks in focal epilepsy

> **NIH NIH F31** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $27,218

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Epilepsy is a debilitating neurological disorder that affects 1% of the population worldwide and temporal lobe
epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form. Seizure onset in TLE is typically localized to the mesial temporal lobe,
however, patients can suffer from distant effects such as loss of consciousness during seizures (ictally) and
neurocognitive deficits between seizures (interictally), both of which impair one’s activities of daily living, ability
to work, and quality of life. Prior work investigating these global effects have resulted in the Network Inhibition
Hypothesis, which states that focal seizure activity observed with stereotactic electroencephalography (SEEG)
spreads to subcortical structures responsible for neocortical activation, resulting in ictal loss of consciousness in
focal impaired awareness seizures (FIAS). Studies with functional MRI (fMRI) have provided evidence that the
same anatomical areas have abnormal functional connectivity (FC). It thought that recurrent FIAS lead to chronic
interictal decreases in subcortical to neocortical FC, but this knowledge gap but this knowledge gap has not been
addressed. We aim to relate FC of ictal and interictal states using SEEG (Aim 1). I specifically hypothesize during
FIAS ictal FC will decrease in the same anatomical regions as those implicated in interictal FC abnormalities. In
addition to recurrent seizures, patients can also have devastating interictal neurocognitive deficits. These
widespread neurocognitive deficits suggest that there is a common factor, which is thought to be the subcortical
arousal structures. It has been shown that fMRI FC abnormalities of subcortical to neocortical structures are
associated with neurocognitive deficits, seizure frequency, and can recover after surgery. While general
subcortical to neocortical abnormalities have been outlined, there is a gap in understanding of specific brain
networks associated with neurocognitive deficits. This could be due in part to not adequately controlling for
arousal state. The high vigilance or “sustained attention” state, is a state of cognitive engagement mediated by
subcortical arousal structures which fluctuates at rest. It is associated with subcortical to neocortical FC changes,
associated with extratemporal neurocognitive deficits, the state active during neurocognitive testing, and thought
to be a confounder for resting-state fMRI by some. We aim to link specific subcortical to neocortical network
abnormalities with neurocognitive deficits by controlling for the high vigilance state with fMRI-EEG (Aim 2). I
specifically hypothesize that during high vigilance states, patients will have significantly decreased FC within
subcortical to neocortical networks compared to controls, that the decrease will be associated with extratemporal
neurocognitive deficits, and that the network will recover after successful surgery. This proposed fellowship will
provide research training in a collaborativ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10878731
- **Project number:** 5F31NS131056-02
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Derek J Doss
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $27,218
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-01 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10878731

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10878731, Dynamic multimodal connectivity analysis of brain networks in focal epilepsy (5F31NS131056-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10878731. Licensed CC0.

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