Epilepsy
Conditions
Brief summary
The objective of this study is to determine how visuomotor exploration relates to hippocampal activity along its long axis. The study will investigate the neurophysiological mechanisms in the hippocampus during (1) visual exploration in surgical patients using high-resolution iEEG, and (2) ambulatory exploration in patients implanted with RNS devices.
Detailed description
Aim 1 - Visual Exploration in Surgical Patients Investigators will study 20 surgical patients with high-resolution intracranial EEG (iEEG) to investigate hippocampal activity during visual exploration. Participants will view between 10-15 panoramic environments using Meta Quest AR/VR glasses while their eye movements and head turns are tracked. Eye-tracking, head-turn, and iEEG data will be synchronized with visual stimuli, and intracranial EEG and single-unit data will be analyzed for changes in neuronal firing and brain activity before and after saccades. Aim 2 - Ambulatory Exploration in RNS Patients and Healthy Controls Investigators will study 12 epilepsy patients with implanted responsive neurostimulator (RNS) devices and 24 healthy controls (HCs) during real-world exploration. Participants will walk through and explore visually distinct rooms while wearing synchronized high-density EEG (hdEEG), eye-tracking glasses, and body position sensors. Data from hippocampal iEEG, hdEEG, eye tracking, and motion sensors will be synchronized offline to examine brain-behavior relationships and the influence of cognitive load on saccade-hippocampal interactions.
Interventions
OTHERVisual Exploration
Cognitive testing while admitted to the epilepsy monitoring unit (number of sessions will vary depending on patient availability and stamina).
OTHERAmbulatory Exploration
Series of cognitive tasks completed during a study visit.
Sponsors
NYU Langone Health
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
All subjects: * Adults (18-70 years) * Able to provide informed consent Aim 1: Surgical epilepsy patients' inclusion criteria * Implanted hippocampal depth electrodes for Stage 1 epilepsy surgery * MMSE\>=24 Aim 2: RNS patients Inclusion criteria * Implanted RNS device with at least one hippocampal depth electrode * At least 5 months post-implantation to avoid the post-implant effect * Have a relatively low number of seizures, defined as \<1 generalized tonic-clonic or other seizure with potential to fall or cause injury per month * Able to walk and wear research equipment without assistance * MMSE\>=24 Aim 2: Healthy Control Inclusion criteria • Able to walk and wear research equipment without assistance
Exclusion criteria
RNS patients, Aim 2: • Any generalized tonic-clonic seizure within the last week All subjects: * Legally blind * Smoking tobacco, marijuana, recreational drugs or alcohol use within 1 week of cognitive testing * Unable to give informed consent * Pregnancy
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hippocampal Theta Power Under High Cognitive Loads | Study Visit (Day 1) | Aims 1 and 2. High cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of a complex scene with goal-driven task. |
| Hippocampal Theta Power Under Medium Cognitive Loads | Study Visit (Day 1) | Aims 1 and 2. Medium cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of a simpler scene with fewer objects. |
| Hippocampal Theta Power Under Low Cognitive Loads | Study Visit (Day 1) | Aims 1 and 2. Low cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of moving dots. |
| Hippocampal Theta Power Under No Cognitive Loads | Study Visit (Day 1) | Aims 1 and 2. Low cognitive loads defined as staring at a blank field of view or REM sleep. |
| Coherence Time-Locked to the Saccade Under High Cognitive Loads | Study Visit (Day 1) | Aims 1 and 2. High cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of a complex scene with goal-driven task. |
| Coherence Time-Locked to the Saccade Under Medium Cognitive Loads | Study Visit (Day 1) | Aims 1 and 2. Medium cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of a simpler scene with fewer objects. |
| Coherence Time-Locked to the Saccade Under Low Cognitive Loads | Study Visit (Day 1) | Aims 1 and 2. Low cognitive loads defined as staring at a blank field of view or REM sleep. |
| Coherence Time-Locked to the Saccade Under No Cognitive Loads | Study Visit (Day 1) | Aims 1 and 2. Low cognitive loads defined as staring at a blank field of view or REM sleep. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTAnli Liu, MD, MA
CONTACTAyelet Rosenberg
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORAnli Liu, MD, MA
NYU Langone Health
Outcome results
None listed