Epileptic brain network mechanisms and neuroimaging techniques for the brain network

Yi Guo; Zhonghua Lin; Zhen Fan; Xin Tian

doi:10.4103/1673-5374.391307

Epileptic brain network mechanisms and neuroimaging techniques for the brain network

Neural Regen Res. 2024 Dec 1;19(12):2637-2648. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.391307. Epub 2023 Dec 21.

Authors

Yi Guo¹, Zhonghua Lin², Zhen Fan³, Xin Tian⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
² Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
³ Department of Geriatrics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
⁴ Department of Neurology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

PMID: 38595282
DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.391307

Abstract

Epilepsy can be defined as a dysfunction of the brain network, and each type of epilepsy involves different brain-network changes that are implicated differently in the control and propagation of interictal or ictal discharges. Gaining more detailed information on brain network alterations can help us to further understand the mechanisms of epilepsy and pave the way for brain network-based precise therapeutic approaches in clinical practice. An increasing number of advanced neuroimaging techniques and electrophysiological techniques such as diffusion tensor imaging-based fiber tractography, diffusion kurtosis imaging-based fiber tractography, fiber ball imaging-based tractography, electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, magnetoencephalography, positron emission tomography, molecular imaging, and functional ultrasound imaging have been extensively used to delineate epileptic networks. In this review, we summarize the relevant neuroimaging and neuroelectrophysiological techniques for assessing structural and functional brain networks in patients with epilepsy, and extensively analyze the imaging mechanisms, advantages, limitations, and clinical application ranges of each technique. A greater focus on emerging advanced technologies, new data analysis software, a combination of multiple techniques, and the construction of personalized virtual epilepsy models can provide a theoretical basis to better understand the brain network mechanisms of epilepsy and make surgical decisions.