Abstracts

Brainstem Associated Somatosensory Evoked Potentials and Response to Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Abstract number : 1.41
Submission category : 2. Translational Research / 2C. Biomarkers
Year : 2021
Submission ID : 1886416
Source : www.aesnet.org
Presentation date : 12/4/2021 12:00:00 PM
Published date : Nov 22, 2021, 06:56 AM

Authors :
Hrishikesh Suresh, MD - Hospital for Sick Children; Karim Mithani, MD - University of Toronto; Samuel Strantzas, MSc., D.ABNM, R.EP.T - The Hospital for Sick Children; Mike Vandenberk, MSc, CNIM - The Hospital for Sick Children; Roy Sharma, RET, REPT - The Hospital for Sick Children; Christina Go, MD - The Hospital for Sick Children; Ayako Ochi, MD, PHD - The Hospital for Sick Children; Hiroshi Otsubo, MD - The Hospital For Sick Children; George Ibrahim, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FAANS - The Hospital for Sick Children

Rationale: Despite decades of clinical usage, selection of patients with drug resistant epilepsy who are most likely to benefit from vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) remains a challenge. The mechanism of action of VNS is dependent upon afferent brainstem circuitry, which comprises a critical component of the Vagus Afferent Network (VagAN).

Methods: To evaluate the association between brain stem afferent circuitry and seizure response, we retrospectively collected intraoperative data from somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) related to brainstem function in 7 children with drug resistant epilepsy who had failed epilepsy surgery and subsequently underwent VNS. Multivariate linear regression was used to analyse the data.

Results: We demonstrate a robust negative association between SSEP amplitude (p < 0.01), and seizure reduction. There was no association between SSEP latency and seizure outcomes
Translational Research