The relationship between cognition and interictal discharges: language organization and spike localisation in BECTS

良性癫痫伴中央颞突（BECTS，罗兰癫痫）是小学生癫痫发作的常见原因。尽管如此，人们对它知之甚少。虽然癫痫发作不常见，但脑电波记录（脑电图，EEG）显示在大多数情况下出现惊人的异常。大的、轮廓鲜明的脑电波（尖峰）经常出现，在睡眠时增加。尖峰的模式和癫痫发作的特征表明癫痫发作在运动皮层的面部区域附近，但这仍未得到证实。功能磁共振成像（fMRI）是一种安全、无创的脑功能成像方法，可以揭示大脑的工作状态。这项技术在理解人类基本功能（如语言）方面取得了重大进展。墨尔本大脑研究所的最新进展意味着在功能磁共振成像中记录脑电图现在是可能的。这使得大脑中的脉冲活动可视化成为可能。“一带一路”是澳大利亚唯一的研究中心，也是世界上为数不多的能够开展此类研究的中心之一。这项研究的目的之一是揭示BECTS尖峰的位置。最近的研究显示，参加BECTS考试的孩子存在微妙的语言和学习困难。我们的脑电图-功能磁共振成像初步研究表明，峰值出现在与重要语言区域相邻的大脑区域。有可能BECTS的频繁峰值干扰了相邻的认知过程。除了脉冲映射，我们还将对语言进行功能成像，以寻找脉冲和语言区域之间的相互作用，并与正常儿童的语言激活模式进行比较。脑电波对认知的影响可能导致对当前癫痫管理策略的重新评估，这些策略主要集中在癫痫发作控制上。这项研究由凯恩斯和墨尔本的研究人员进行，与澳大利亚地区分享了世界级研究的好处。

Benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BECTS, rolandic epilepsy) is a common cause of seizures in primary school children. Despite this it is poorly understood. Although seizures are infrequent, brainwave recordings (electroencephalography, EEG) reveal striking abnormalities present much of the time. Large, sharply contoured brain waves (spikes) are seen frequently, increasing during sleep. The pattern of the spikes, and the characteristic nature of seizures have suggested the epilepsy arises near the face area of the motor cortex, but this remains unproven. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a safe and non-invasive way of imaging cerebral function, to reveal the brain at work . The technology is contributing to major advances in understanding of basic human functions such as language. Recent developments at the Brain Research Institute in Melbourne mean it is now possible to record EEG during fMRI. This has permitted visualisation of spike activity in the brain. The BRI is the only centre in Australia, and one of only a handful in the world that is able to perform such studies. One purpose of this study is reveal the location of spikes in BECTS. Recent studies have revealed subtle language and learning difficulties in BECTS children. Our preliminary EEG-fMRI studies have suggested spikes arise from brain regions adjacent to important language areas. It is possible that the frequent spikes of BECTS are interfering with adjacent cognitive processes. In addition to spike mapping, we will perform functional imaging of language to look for interactions between spike and language areas, and compare with patterns of language activation seen in normal children. The demonstration of spike related affects on cognition may lead to a reassessment of current epilepsy management strategies, which focus predominately on seizure control. This study, with researchers in Cairns and Melbourne, shares the benefits of world class research with regional Australia.