Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40321151›Full record

SynthesisEpilepsia2025

Predictors of atypical language lateralization in focal epilepsy: A mega-analysis of fMRI evidence.

Freya Prentice, Lara Chehabeddine, Maria Helena Eriksson, Jennifer Murphy, Leigh N Sepeta, William D Gaillard, Madison M Berl, Frédérique Liégeois, Torsten Baldeweg

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Epilepsia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
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

9 authors.

Freya PrenticeDevelopmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1940-7252
Lara ChehabeddineDevelopmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
Maria Helena ErikssonDevelopmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6869-5804
Jennifer MurphySchool of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
Leigh N SepetaCenter for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
William D GaillardCenter for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Madison M BerlDivision of Neuropsychology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2469-1518
Frédérique LiégeoisDevelopmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
Torsten BaldewegDevelopmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5724-1679

Funding

Imaging the Impact of Childhood Epilepsy on Memory Development - SupplementK23NS093152 · NINDS · CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE · PI SEPETA, LEIGH · 2018 to 2023
$912k
Child Health Research Charitable Incorporated OrganizationNational Institute for Health and Care Research Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR GOSH BRC)NINDS NIH HHS K23 NS093152NINDS NIH HHS NS093152Sigrid Jusélius FoundationThe Charlotte and Yule Bogue Research Fellowships in Honour of Sir Charles Lovatt Evans and A.J. Clark
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo identify predictors of language lateralization derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in children and adults with left- and right-sided focal epilepsy.

methodsWe conducted a mega-analysis of data from 914 individuals from 24 samples. We used multilevel models to identify predictors of language lateralization in left and right hemisphere epilepsy groups. We assigned each participant a clinical predictor score to explore whether there was a cumulative influence of predictors on increasing atypical language lateralization.

resultsLeft hemisphere epilepsy was a predictor of greater atypical language lateralization in the combined sample. Additional predictors of atypical language lateralization included left/ambidextrous handedness in both the left and right hemisphere groups, and longer duration of epilepsy, frontal lobe involvement, and history of a stroke or other precipitating injury in the left hemisphere group only. There was a cumulative effect of predictors in the left hemisphere groups. Eighty percent of individuals with four or more predictors had atypical language lateralization, compared to 19% of individuals with no predictors, other than left hemisphere epilepsy. SIGNIFICANCE: Consistent with theories of language plasticity, we demonstrated a robust effect of early acquired left hemisphere injury on language lateralization. There was also a subtle effect of duration of epilepsy, perhaps reflecting increasing bilaterality with age in adulthood. The association between left/ambidextrous handedness and atypical language lateralization in the left and right hemisphere groups likely reflects both genetic and epilepsy-associated effects. The total number of predictors identified for an individual could serve as an indication for presurgical language fMRI, when surgical management is considered.

Indexed as

BrainEpilepsies, PartialFunctional LateralityLanguageMagnetic Resonance ImagingAdolescentAdultChildFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPredictive Value of TestsYoung Adultepilepsy surgeryfMRIlanguage lateralizationlanguage plasticity

Identifiers

PMID40321151
PMCPMC12371624

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Registered trials

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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.