Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41253094›Full record

ArticleEpilepsy & behavior : E&B2026

Electrical stimulation for the induction of seizures is safe, well-tolerated and high-yield in children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Lucy Tarcha, Darcy A Krueger, Hansel M Greiner, Jesse Skoch, Francesco T Mangano, Ravindra Arya, S Katie Z Ihnen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Epilepsy & behavior : E&B, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Lucy TarchaUniversity of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Darcy A KruegerDivision of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Hansel M GreinerDivision of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Jesse SkochDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Francesco T ManganoDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Ravindra AryaDivision of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
S Katie Z IhnenDivision of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA. Electronic address: katie.ihnen@cchmc.org.

Funding

Child Neurologist Career Development Program (CNCDP)K12NS098482 · NINDS · HUGO W. MOSER RES INST KENNEDY KRIEGER · PI SCHLAGGAR, BRADLEY L · 2016 to 2025
$26.2M
NINDS NIH HHS K12 NS098482
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDrug-refractory epilepsy (DRE) affects one-third of children with epilepsy and can be treated with surgery. The surgical target is determined by recording spontaneous seizures during stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG). In adults, induced seizures help define the surgical target and predict favorable outcomes. No studies focus on the safety, tolerability, and yield of electrical stimulation for the induction of seizures (ESIS) in children.

methodsStimulation at 1 Hz and 50 Hz was performed prospectively and comprehensively (all gray matter channels) during sEEG in children and young adults with DRE. Induced seizures were categorized as electroclinical habitual, clinical habitual (aura), subclinical and non-habitual. Primary safety outcome was rescue medication use. Tolerability was assessed by questionnaire. Yield was induced seizure rate.

resultsSixty-seven patients (n = 30 female) participated during 70 admissions. Patients were 1-21 years old (mean ± SD, 11.1 ± 5.7). n = 10,135 stimulation trials were performed, requiring 175 ± 61 min per patient. One seizure required rescue medication. Tolerability ratings were favorable and improved from pre- to post-session. At least one induced seizure was obtained in 62/70 (89 %) sessions, representing 283/10,135 trials (2.8 %). Combined, habitual seizures and habitual auras accounted for 58 % of induced seizures; non-habitual seizures were uncommon (12 %). Of those with induced seizures, multiple seizure types occurred in 28/62 (45 %). Seizures were induced at 1 Hz and 50 Hz in 22/67 patients (33 %). SIGNIFICANCE: Seizure stimulation during sEEG is safe, well-tolerated, and high-yield in children at both 1 Hz and 50 Hz. These findings motivate a more systematic utilization of ESIS in pediatric patients.

Indexed as

Drug Resistant EpilepsyElectric StimulationSeizuresAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolElectroencephalographyFemaleHumansInfantMaleProspective StudiesYoung AdultElectrical stimulationEpilepsy surgeryPediatric drug-refractory epilepsy (DRE)Seizure onset zoneSeizure stimulationStereo electroencephalography (sEEG)

Identifiers

PMID41253094
PMCPMC13308854

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.