Researchers at Newcastle University, led by WP3 leader Dr Roger Whittaker, are working on a study that will help feed in to the CANDO trial. They are collecting neuroimaging data from patients in Newcastle expecting to undergo resective epilepsy surgery to find out if the information is predictive of epilepsy surgery outcomes.

One of the challenges in epilepsy surgery is being able to precisely determine where in the brain is the abnormal area responsible for causing seizures and then to remove as little brain tissue as necessary to prevent further seizures.  The study plans to use modern imaging techniques to record electrical activity in the brain and to see how different parts of the brain are connected and communicate with each other. This information can be looked at in relation to surgery outcomes to try and improve epilepsy surgery in the future.

Participants will undergo a MEG (Magnetoencephalography) scan to collect resting state data of the brains activity.  They will also undergo an MRI scan to collect data on the anatomy of the brain during a single visit to York Neuroimaging Centre. The study is expected to run until 2019.

 

 

IRAS ID: 206548

REC reference: 16/LO/1477 - London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee