Multimodal investigation of epileptic networks: The case of insular cortex epilepsy.
The insula is a deep cortical structure sharing extensive synaptic connections with a variety of brain regions, including several frontal, temporal, and parietal structures. The identification of the insular connectivity network is obviously valuable for understanding a number of cognitive processes, but also for understanding epilepsy since insular seizures involve a number of remote brain regions. Ultimately, knowledge of the structure and causal relationships within the epileptic networks associated with insular cortex epilepsy can offer deeper insights into this relatively neglected type of epilepsy enabling the refining of the clinical approach in managing patients affected by it. In the present chapter, we first review the multimodal noninvasive tests performed during the presurgical evaluation of epileptic patients with drug refractory focal epilepsy, with particular emphasis on their value for the detection of insular cortex epilepsy. Second, we review the emerging multimodal investigation techniques in the field of epilepsy, that aim to (1) enhance the detection of insular cortex epilepsy and (2) unveil the architecture and causal relationships within epileptic networks. We summarize the results of these approaches with emphasis on the specific case of insular cortex epilepsy.
Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Y
Y
Zerouali
Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
J
J
Ghaziri
Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; CHUM-Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montreal, QC, Canada. Electronic address: d.nguyen@umontreal.ca.
D K
DK
Nguyen
D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D059906:Neuroimaging
Causality; Connectivity; Epilepsy; Insula; Multimodal; Networks; Neuroimaging