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Lindquist BE, Timbie C, Voskobiynyk Y, Paz JT. Thalamocortical circuits in generalized epilepsy: Pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 181:106094. [PMID: 36990364 PMCID: PMC10192143 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Generalized epilepsy affects 24 million people globally; at least 25% of cases remain medically refractory. The thalamus, with widespread connections throughout the brain, plays a critical role in generalized epilepsy. The intrinsic properties of thalamic neurons and the synaptic connections between populations of neurons in the nucleus reticularis thalami and thalamocortical relay nuclei help generate different firing patterns that influence brain states. In particular, transitions from tonic firing to highly synchronized burst firing mode in thalamic neurons can cause seizures that rapidly generalize and cause altered awareness and unconsciousness. Here, we review the most recent advances in our understanding of how thalamic activity is regulated and discuss the gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms of generalized epilepsy syndromes. Elucidating the role of the thalamus in generalized epilepsy syndromes may lead to new opportunities to better treat pharmaco-resistant generalized epilepsy by thalamic modulation and dietary therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta E Lindquist
- UCSF Department of Neurology, Division of Neurocritical Care, United States of America; UCSF Department of Neurology, Division of Pediatric Epilepsy, United States of America; UCSF Department of Neurology, United States of America
| | - Clare Timbie
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, United States of America; UCSF Department of Neurology, Division of Pediatric Epilepsy, United States of America; UCSF Department of Neurology, United States of America
| | - Yuliya Voskobiynyk
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, United States of America; UCSF Department of Neurology, United States of America
| | - Jeanne T Paz
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, United States of America; UCSF Department of Neurology, United States of America; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, UCSF, United States of America.
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Hirsch E, French J, Scheffer IE, Bogacz A, Alsaadi T, Sperling MR, Abdulla F, Zuberi SM, Trinka E, Specchio N, Somerville E, Samia P, Riney K, Nabbout R, Jain S, Wilmshurst JM, Auvin S, Wiebe S, Perucca E, Moshé SL, Tinuper P, Wirrell EC. ILAE definition of the Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy Syndromes: Position statement by the ILAE Task Force on Nosology and Definitions. Epilepsia 2022; 63:1475-1499. [PMID: 35503716 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 64.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In 2017, the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Classification of Epilepsies described the "genetic generalized epilepsies" (GGEs), which contained the "idiopathic generalized epilepsies" (IGEs). The goal of this paper is to delineate the four syndromes comprising the IGEs, namely childhood absence epilepsy, juvenile absence epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, and epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizures alone. We provide updated diagnostic criteria for these IGE syndromes determined by the expert consensus opinion of the ILAE's Task Force on Nosology and Definitions (2017-2021) and international external experts outside our Task Force. We incorporate current knowledge from recent advances in genetic, imaging, and electroencephalographic studies, together with current terminology and classification of seizures and epilepsies. Patients that do not fulfill criteria for one of these syndromes, but that have one, or a combination, of the following generalized seizure types: absence, myoclonic, tonic-clonic and myoclonic-tonic-clonic seizures, with 2.5-5.5 Hz generalized spike-wave should be classified as having GGE. Recognizing these four IGE syndromes as a special grouping among the GGEs is helpful, as they carry prognostic and therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edouard Hirsch
- Francis Rohmer Neurology Epilepsy Units, National Institute of Health and Medical Research 1258, Federation of Translational Medicine of Strasbourg, Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jacqueline French
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine and NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Austin Health and Royal Children's Hospital, Florey Institute, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alicia Bogacz
- Institute of Neurology, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Taoufik Alsaadi
- Department of Neurology, American Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Michael R Sperling
- Department of Neurology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Fatema Abdulla
- Salmaniya Medical Complex-Government Hospital, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Sameer M Zuberi
- Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, Royal Hospital for Children and Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, member of EpiCARE, Glasgow, UK
| | - Eugen Trinka
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Institute, Christian Doppler University Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, member of EpiCARE, Salzburg, Austria.,Department of Public Health, Health Services Research, and Health Technology Assessment, University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics, and Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria
| | - Nicola Specchio
- Rare and Complex Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, member of EpiCARE, Rome, Italy
| | - Ernest Somerville
- Prince of Wales Hospital, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Pauline Samia
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Kate Riney
- Neurosciences Unit, Queensland Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rima Nabbout
- Reference Center for Rare Epilepsies, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Public Hospital Network of Paris, member of EpiCARE, Imagine Institute, National Institute of Health and Medical Research, Mixed Unit of Research 1163, University of Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Jo M Wilmshurst
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Stephane Auvin
- Pediatric Neurology, Public Hospital Network of Paris, Robert Debré Hospital, NeuroDiderot, National Institute of Health and Medical Research, Department Medico-Universitaire, Innovation Robert-Debré, University of Paris, Paris, France.,University Institute of France, Paris, France
| | - Samuel Wiebe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Emilio Perucca
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Solomon L Moshé
- Isabelle Rapin Division of Child Neurology, Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, and Departments of Neuroscience and Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Paolo Tinuper
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Institute of Neurological Sciences, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, member of EpiCARE, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elaine C Wirrell
- Divisions of Child and Adolescent Neurology and Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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