Resting State fMRI Seizure Networks and Electrographic Seizures in Acute Brain Injury: A Retrospective Study (2024)

Undergraduates: Meitra Kazemi, Benjamin Garside

Faculty Advisor: Varina Boerwinkle, MD; William Reuther, MS
Department: Neurology

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Acute brain injury (ABI) is often accompanied by suppression of consciousness. One of the frequent contributing factors of reduced consciousness and long-term dysfunction are seizures. While the injuries are often deeply located, where seizures may be occurring, electroencephalography (EEG) techniques may miss these because EEG only measures the brain’s most exterior few millimeters of brain tissue. Thus, another seizure-activity biomarker without special limitation is needed. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) detects seizure networks in those with epilepsy, and by case reports, may be similarly useful in ABI. However, as a first step, determining the prevalence and association of rs-fMRI seizure networks in relation to EEG findings is needed, which is the goal of this study. In ABI patients, we hypothesized that rs-fMRI seizure networks would be more prevalent and associated with EEG positive seizures; and that a smaller but significant portion of those with no seizure by EEG would also have seizure networks.