Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40256879›Full record

ArticleAnnals of clinical and translational neurology2025

EEG Spectral Exponents and Visual Chirp Responses Mirror Anti-Seizure Medication Load in Refractory Focal Epilepsy.

Silvano R Gefferie, Arthur R van Nieuw Amerongen, Gerhard H Visser, Maeike Zijlmans, Else A Tolner, Mark van de Ruit, Arn M J M van den Maagdenberg, Roland D Thijs

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of clinical and translational neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Silvano R GefferieStichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0881-9315
Arthur R van Nieuw AmerongenStichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-8375-5975
Gerhard H VisserStichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-6708-6396
Maeike ZijlmansStichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-1258-5678
Else A TolnerDepartment of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-6501-9971
Mark van de RuitDepartment of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-3806-2031
Arn M J M van den MaagdenbergDepartment of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-9310-5535
Roland D ThijsStichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-1435-8970

Funding

Health-Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health, Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMW) 114025101HORIZON project RELIEVE (grant ID 101099481)The Christelijke Vereniging voor de Verpleging van Lijders aan EpilepsieThe Dutch National Epilepsy Foundation 2022-10the Medical Delta program "Medical NeuroDelta: Ambulant Neuromonitoring for Prevention and Treatment of Brain Disease"
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveQuantitative markers of cortical excitability may help identify responders to anti-seizure medications (ASMs). We studied the relationship between ASM load and two electroencephalography (EEG) markers of cortical excitability in people with refractory epilepsy.

methodsWe included individuals with refractory focal epilepsy undergoing presurgical evaluation, involving ASM tapering and sleep deprivation. We obtained daily resting state EEG and EEG responses to visual stimulation at linearly increasing flash frequency (10-40 Hz chirp). We extracted the aperiodic exponent from resting state EEG power spectra and analysed chirp response at driving and second-order harmonic frequencies. We modelled ASM load, which we related to the EEG markers using linear mixed-effects regression.

resultsForty-eight subjects (median age 34 years, age range 16-62 years, 19 females) participated. The spectral exponent became less negative with ASM load reduction (p = 0.02), mainly attributable to reduced low-frequency power. Lowering ASM load increased the harmonic response to chirp stimulation (p = 0.004), also after accounting for sleep deprivation (p = 0.02), but did not affect the driving response. ASM tapering specifically increased harmonic responses to high stimulation frequencies (27-40 Hz, p = 0.01).

interpretationResting state EEG spectral exponents and visual chirp responses reflect ASM load in refractory epilepsy. Low-frequency spectral changes in resting state EEG may only mirror ASM-induced spectral slowing. Visual chirp stimulation reveals enhanced harmonic EEG responses during low ASM loads, likely due to both increased high gamma activity and increased response to visual perturbations. Implementation of the markers would need normative values to reduce the delay to individually optimised treatment regimens.

Indexed as

AnticonvulsantsCortical ExcitabilityDrug Resistant EpilepsyElectroencephalographyEpilepsies, PartialAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPhotic StimulationYoung AdultAnticonvulsantsanti‐seizure medicationselectroencephalographyphotic stimulationresting state EEGspectral analysis

Identifiers

PMID40256879
PMCPMC12172104

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.