Breathing Rescue for SUDEP Prevention

Launched by THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER, HOUSTON · Jul 31, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called "Breathing Rescue for SUDEP Prevention," is looking at how certain areas of the brain control breathing, especially during seizures. The goal is to find specific brain regions and stimulation techniques that could help prevent breathing problems caused by seizures in patients with focal epilepsy. This is important because breathing failure can lead to serious complications, including sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

To participate in the study, individuals must be between the ages of 65 and 74 and have a diagnosis of intractable focal epilepsy, which means their seizures are hard to control with medication. They also need to be admitted to a specialized hospital unit for a procedure that involves placing small electrodes in their brain to monitor brain activity. However, people with certain health issues, such as severe breathing or heart problems, pregnant women, or prisoners, cannot join the study. Participants can expect to undergo close monitoring and receive specialized care while the research is ongoing.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • diagnosis of intractable focal epilepsy
• • admitted to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center for intracranial subdural strips, grids, or depth electrode placement study (invasive video-EEG)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • respiratory, cardiac or cerebrovascular disease
• • pregnancy
• • prisoners