Refractory Epilepsy
Conditions
Brief summary
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive treatment for refractory epilepsy. Although widely used, there is still a substantial number of patients with insufficient response. Light, and particularly blue light, can stimulate alertness, attention and cognition through modulation of anatomical targets which are common to the vagal afferent network. This project aims at understanding how exposure to blue enriched light may influence VNS effects in patients with refractory epilepsy by exploring the modulation of a series of biomarkers of VNS action. This could possibly lead to new therapeutic strategies to increase efficacy of VNS.
Interventions
OTHERelectroencephalography, electrocardiogram, pupillometry, evoked potentials, light administration
Recording of the electrical activity of the brain, of the heart. Pupil size will be analyzed. The effect of blue light administration will be assessed on those parameters.
OTHERtranscutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, electroencephalography, pupillometry, electrocardiogram, light administration
Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation will be performed in helathy subjects, as well as the recording of the electrical activity of the brain, and of the heart. Pupil size will be analyzed. The effect of blue light administration will be assessed on those parameters.
Sponsors
Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc- Université Catholique de Louvain
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Intervention model description
Patients with refractory epilepsy (divided in non responders & responders), and healthy subjects
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Patients: VNS implanted since at least 3 months age \>18-60 years; IQ \>55 on Wechsler scale (normal status or mild cognitive impairment) healthy participants aged between 18 and 35 years without any medical history (neurological / psychiatric disease)
Exclusion criteria
Patients: other medical implanted devices than VNS, ocular diseases Helthy participants: medical implanted devices, cerebral trauma, ocular disease
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Effect of blue light on VNS biomarkers | 4 years | Blue light increases VNS induced electroencephalogram desynchronisation in implanted patients |
Countries
Belgium
Contacts
Primary ContactInci cakiroglu
Outcome results
None listed