Survey of rehabilitation approaches and plans for individuals with dravet syndrome (RAPIDS) in Italy: Current practices and strategies to progress.

Dravet syndrome, a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, manifests with varying degrees of cognitive and communication impairment, postural and movement disorders (such as ataxia, coordination issues, and crouch gait) and behavioural challenges (including attention deficit/hyperactivity, oppositional/defiant behaviour, and autistic traits). Rehabilitation is a valuable tool for most patients, typically prescribed to address the most pressing issues. However, current practices often fall short in proactively preventing and treating known challenges associated with the syndrome, as indicated by the latest literature, at different life stages. Furthermore, there is a notable lack of evidence regarding treatment types and efficacy specific to people with Dravet Syndrome. Conducted in collaboration with one of the Italian Patient associations, this national survey provides a comprehensive view of the rehabilitation landscape in Dravet Syndrome, as perceived by caregivers. It outlines the types of treatments for 51 patients, based on age and relevant clinical features. The findings reveal a heterogenous rehabilitation approach, only partly tailored to the presence of specific comorbidities, and underline numerous unmet needs. Compared to the past there is indirect evidence that more patients are offered early rehabilitation. Nonetheless, while nowadays speech therapy and neuropsychomotor therapy are nearly universal for children up to the age of 10, some begin physiotherapy and psychotherapy thereafter, with a majority discontinuing treatments. Therefore, families of adolescent and adult patients often face a lack of comprehensive support, predominantly offered when epilepsy is more challenging to control affecting rehabilitation adherence and effectiveness. Finally, a negligible minority is offered treatments such as neurovisual training, augmentative and alternative communication, and occupational therapy. Many of these considerations could apply to other developmental and epileptic encephalopathy with lifelong disability. This survey calls for more data collection on this important topic for more efficient allocation of rehabilitation resources.

Short- vs long-term assessment of heart rate variability: Clinical significance in Dravet Syndrome.

PURPOSE: Heart rate variability (HRV) is a promising prognostic biomarker in Dravet Syndrome (DS), but different studies are not always comparable, limiting its clinical application. In fact, multiple HRV parameters, analyzed over different timescales and in different states are reported. The aim of this study was to assess which HRV parameter is more reproducible and clinically significant, analyzing differences between wake and sleep. METHOD: Patients with DS, with available 24 h-ECG Holter-derived HRV, were screened to evaluate if they had EEG-derived ECG traces available within one month before/after the Holter. A 5-minute period in the awake and sleep state were analyzed and correlated with the 24 h-HRV. Several relevant clinical features such as age, a recent history of status epilepticus (SE), and frequent generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) were correlated to HRV parameters with multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: Thirty-oneawake recordings and 22 sleep recordings were included. HF was the parameter with the highest correlation in awake (Rho 0.745, p < 0.001) and in sleep (Rho 0.727, p < 0.001). Age was a significant factor in simple models for most of the parameters except RMSSD. A recent history of SE was associated with a significant reduction of HRV, both in simple and multiple regressions for all parameters except for awake LF and for sleep RMSSD and PNN50. Frequent GTCS were associated with a significant decrease in sleep RMSSD, HF, and LF, also when correcting for the effect of age and history of SE. When compared pairwise, a significant increase in sleep was seen for HF (median + 24.45 ms2, IQR -7.51/+172.18 ms2, p = 0.036; increase in 15/22 patients). CONCLUSION: A moderate degree of correlation between long- and short-term HRV was seen both in sleep and in awake, and a strong correlation for awake HF. HF, both in awake and sleep, was significantly associated with high seizure burden, including SE and frequent GTCS.

A novel homozygous variant in JAM3 gene causing hemorrhagic destruction of the brain, subependymal calcification, and congenital cataracts (HDBSCC) with neonatal onset.

BACKGROUND: JAM3 gene, located on human chromosome 11q25, encodes a member of the junctional adhesion molecule (JAM) family. Mutations of this gene are associated with hemorrhagic destruction of the brain, subependymal calcification, and congenital cataracts (HDBSCC). CASE REPORT: Herein, we present a newborn male with a prenatal suspicion of bilateral cataracts but without fetal ultrasound findings of cortical malformations. He was postnatally diagnosed with a clinical picture of HDBSCC and Early-onset Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy (DEE), associated to a homozygous variant of JAM3 gene. CONCLUSION: Identification of this variant in affected individuals has implications for perinatal and postnatal management and genetic counseling. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported of a child with a JAM3 variant in Italy, from a different ethnic background than the other reported children until now (Saudi Arabian, Turkish, Afghani, and Moroccan origin). JAM3 screening could be requested in prenatal diagnosis of fetal congenital cataracts and included in Next-Generation DNA Sequencing panels.

Role of high-density EEG (hdEEG) in pre-surgical epilepsy evaluation in children: case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Electrical source imaging (ESI) and especially hdEEG represent a noninvasive, low cost and accurate method of localizing epileptic zone (EZ). Such capability can greatly increase seizure freedom rate in surgically treated drug resistant epilepsy cases. Furthermore, ESI might be important in intracranial record planning. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 15 years old boy suffering from drug resistant epilepsy with a previous history of DNET removal. The patient suffered from heterogeneous seizure semiology characterized by anesthesia and loss of tone in the left arm, twisting of the jaw to the left and dysarthria accompanied by daze; lightheadedness sometimes associated with headache and dizziness and at a relatively short time distance negative myoclonus involving the left hand. Clinical evidence poorly match scalp and video EEG monitoring thus requiring hdEEG recording followed by SEEG to define surgical target. Surgery was also guided by ECoG and obtained seizure freedom. DISCUSSION: ESI offers an excellent estimate of EZ, being hdEEG and intracranial recordings especially important in defining it. We analyzed our results together with the data from the literature showing how in children hdEEG might be even more crucial than in adults due to the heterogeneity in seizures phenomenology. The complexity of each case and the technical difficulties in dealing with children, stress even more the importance of a noninvasive tool for diagnosis. In fact, hdEEG not only guided in the presented case SEEG planning but may also in the future offer the possibility to replace it.

Sturge-Weber syndrome: an update on the relevant issues for neurosurgeons.

PURPOSE: Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is a neurocutaneous facomatosis characterized by facial and leptomeningeal angioma, glaucoma, seizures, and neurological disability. Therefore, a challenging multidisciplinary interaction is required for its management. The goal of this paper is to review the main aspects of SWS and to present an illustrative pediatric series. METHODS: The pertinent literature has been analyzed, focused mainly on etiopathogenesis, pathology, clinical features, diagnostic tools, management, and outcome of the disease. Moreover, a series of 11 children operated on for refractory epilepsy between 2005 and 2015 (minimum follow-up 5 years, mean follow-up 9.6 years) is reported. The series consists of six boys and five girls with 6.5-month and 16.2-month mean age at seizure onset and at surgery, respectively. Seizures affected all children, followed by hemiparesis and psychomotor delay (81%), glaucoma (54%), and other neurological deficits (45%). RESULTS: All children underwent hemispherectomy (anatomical in three cases, functional in two cases, hemispherotomy in six cases); one patient needed a redo hemispherotomy. Mortality was nil; disseminated intravascular coagulation and interstitial pneumonia occurred in one patient each; three children had subdural fluid collection. Eight patients (72%) are in the ILAE Class 1 (completely seizure and aura free), two in Class 2 (only auras, no seizure), and one in Class 3 (1-3 seizure days per year). AEDs discontinuation was possible in 73% of cases. The most important news from the literature concerned the pathogenesis (role of the mutation of the GNAQ gene in the abnormal SWS vasculogenesis), the clinical findings (the features and pathogenesis of the stroke-like episodes are being understood), the diagnostic tools (quantitative MRI and EEG), and both the medical (migraine, seizures) and surgical management (epilepsy). The epileptic outcome of SWS patients is very good (80% are seizure-free), if compared with other hemispheric syndromes. The quality of life is affected by the neurological and cognitive deficits. CONCLUSIONS: SWS still is an etiological and clinical challenge. However, the improvements over the time are consistent. In particular, the neurosurgical treatment of refractory epilepsy provides very good results as long as the indication to treatment is correct.

Status epilepticus in BRAF-related cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome: Focus on neuroimaging clues to physiopathology.

OBJECTIVE: Cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome (CFC) is a genetic disorder due to variants affecting genes coding key proteins of the Ras/MAPK signaling pathway. Among the different features of CFC, neurological involvement, including cerebral malformations and epilepsy, represents a common and clinically relevant aspect. Status epilepticus (SE) is a recurrent feature, especially in a specific subgroup of CFC patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) and history of severe pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Here we dissect the features of SE in CFC patients with a particular focus on longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings to identify clinical-radiological patterns and discuss the underlying physiopathology. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical, electroencephalogram (EEG), and MRI data collected in a single center from a cohort of 23 patients with CFC carrying pathogenic BRAF variants who experienced SE during a 5-year period. RESULTS: Seven episodes of SE were documented in 5 CFC patients who underwent EEG and MRI at baseline. MRI was performed during SE/within 72 hours from SE termination in 5/7 events. Acute/early post-ictal MRI findings showed heterogenous abnormalities: restricted diffusion in 2/7, focal area of pcASL perfusion change in 2/7, focal cortical T2/FLAIR hyperintensity in 2/7. Follow-up images were available for 4/7 SE. No acute changes were detected in 2/7 (MRI performed 4 days after SE termination). SIGNIFICANCE: Acute focal neuroimaging changes concomitant with ictal EEG focus were present in 5/7 episodes, though with different findings. The heterogeneous patterns suggest different contributing factors, possibly including the presence of focal cortical malformations and autoinflammation. When cytotoxic edema is revealed by MRI, it can be followed by permanent structural damage, as already observed in other genetic conditions. A better understanding of the physiopathology will provide access to targeted treatments allowing to prevent long-term adverse neurological outcome. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome is a genetic disorder that often causes prolonged seizures known as status epilepticus. This study has a focus on electroclinical and neuroimaging patterns in patients with cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome. During these status epilepticus episodes, we found different abnormal brain imaging patterns in patients, indicating various causes like brain malformations and inflammation. Understanding these patterns could help doctors find specific treatments, protecting cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome patients from long-term brain damage.

Visual Function in Children with GNAO1-Related Encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: GNAO1-related encephalopathies include a broad spectrum of developmental disorders caused by de novo heterozygous mutations in the GNAO1 gene, encoding the G (o) subunit α of G-proteins. These conditions are characterized by epilepsy, movement disorders and developmental impairment, in combination or as isolated features. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at describing the profile of neurovisual competences in children with GNAO1 deficiency to better characterize the phenotype of the disease spectrum. METHODS: Four male and three female patients with confirmed genetic diagnosis underwent neurological examination, visual function assessment, and neurovisual and ophthalmological evaluation. Present clinical history of epilepsy and movement disorders, and neuroimaging findings were also evaluated. RESULTS: The assessment revealed two trends in visual development. Some aspects of visual function, such as discrimination and perception of distance, depth and volume, appeared to be impaired at all ages, with no sign of improvement. Other aspects, reliant on temporal lobe competences (ventral stream) and more related to object-face exploration, recognition and environmental control, appeared to be preserved and improved with age. SIGNIFICANCE: Visual function is often impaired, with patterns of visual impairment affecting the ventral stream less.

Linear Diagnostic Procedure Elicited by Clinical Genetics and Validated by mRNA Analysis in Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 7 Associated with a Novel Non-Canonical Splice Site Variant in MFSD8.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (CNL) are lysosomal storage diseases that represent the most common cause of dementia in children. To date, 13 autosomal recessive (AR) and 1 autosomal dominant (AD) gene have been characterized. Biallelic variants in MFSD8 cause CLN7 type, with nearly 50 pathogenic variants, mainly truncating and missense, reported so far. Splice site variants require functional validation. We detected a novel homozygous non-canonical splice-site variant in MFSD8 in a 5-year-old girl who presented with progressive neurocognitive impairment and microcephaly. The diagnostic procedure was elicited by clinical genetics first, and then confirmed by cDNA sequencing and brain imaging. Inferred by the common geographic origin of the parents, an autosomal recessive inheritance was hypothesized, and SNP-array was performed as the first-line genetic test. Only three AR genes lying within the observed 24 Mb regions of homozygosity were consistent with the clinical phenotype, including EXOSC9, SPATA5 and MFSD8. The cerebral and cerebellar atrophy detected in the meantime by MRI, along with the suspicion of accumulation of ceroid lipopigment in neurons, prompted us to perform targeted MFSD8 sequencing. Following the detection of a splice site variant of uncertain significance, skipping of exon 8 was demonstrated by cDNA sequencing, and the variant was redefined as pathogenic.

Postoperative Epileptic Seizures in Children.

Background: Postoperative seizures (PS) occur in 10−15% of patients. This study aims to provide an update on the role of surgery in PS. Methods: All children undergoing a craniotomy for supratentorial lesions in the last 10 years were considered except those with preoperative seizures, perioperative antiepileptic drugs prophylaxis, head-injury and infections, repeated surgery, or preoperative hyponatremia. Children undergoing surgery for intra-axial lesions (Group 1, 74 cases) were compared with those harboring extra-axial lesions (Group 2, 91 cases). Results: PS occurred in 9% of 165 cases and epilepsy in 3% of 165 cases (mean follow-up: 5.7 years). There was no difference between the two study groups with regard to demographic data or tumor size. Group 1 showed a higher rate of gross total tumor resection (p = 0.002), while Group 2 had a higher rate of postoperative hyponatremia (p < 0.0001). There were no differences between the two groups in the occurrence of seizures (6.7% vs. 11%) or epilepsy (2.7% vs. 3.2%). No correlations were found between seizures and age, tumor location, histotype, tumor size, or the extent of tumor resection. Hyponatremia affected the risk of PS in Group 2 (p = 0.02). Conclusions: This study shows a lower rate of PS and epilepsy than series including children with preoperative seizures. Hyponatremia has a significant role. Neurosurgery is safe but surgical complications may cause late epilepsy.

Chiari 1 Malformation and Epilepsy in Children: A Missing Relationship.

Purpose: Once believed a result of pathophysiological correlations, the association between Chiari 1 malformation (CM1) and epilepsy has since been considered as a coincidence, due to missing etiologic or clinical matching points. At present, the problem is being newly debated because of the increasing number of CM1 diagnoses, often among children with seizures. No specific studies on this topic are available yet. The present study aimed at updating the information on this topic by reporting on a series of children specifically enrolled and retrospectively analyzed for this purpose. Methods: All children admitted between January 2015 and June 2020 for epilepsy and CM1 were considered (Group 1). They were compared with children admitted in the same period for symptoms/signs related to CM1 and/or syringomyelia (Group 2). Syndromic patients were excluded, as well as those with tumoral or other overt intracranial lesions. All patients received a complete preoperative work-up, including MRI and EEG. Symptomatic children with CM1/syringomyelia were operated on. The pertinent literature was reviewed. Results: Group 1 was composed of 29 children (mean age: 6.2 years) showing CM1 and epilepsy with several types of seizures. A share of 27% had CM1-related symptoms and syringomyelia. The mean tonsillar ectopia was 7.5 mm. Surgery was performed in 31% of cases. Overall, 62% of children are currently seizure-free (including 5/9 children who were operated on). Tonsillar herniation and syringomyelia regressed in 4/9 cases and 4/8 cases, improved in 4/9 cases and 3/8 cases, and remained stable in 1/9 and 1/8 cases, respectively. CM1 signs/symptoms regressed completely in 6/8 cases and improved or remained stable in one case in each of the two remaining patients. Group 2 consisted of 77 children (mean age: 8.9 years) showing symptoms of CM1 (75%) and/or syringomyelia (39%). The mean tonsillar ectopia was 11.8 mm. Non-specific EEG anomalies were detected in 13 children (17%). Surgery was performed in 76.5% of cases (18 children were not operated on because of oligosymptomatic). Preoperative symptoms regressed in 26%, improved in 50%, remained stable 22%, and worsened in 2%; CM1 radiologically regressed in 39%, improved in 37%, remained unchanged in 22%, and worsened in 2%; and syringomyelia/hydromyelia regressed in 61%, improved in 30%, and was stable in 9%. No statistically significant differences between the two groups were detected regarding the M/F ratio, presence of syringomyelia/hydromyelia, or CM1/syringomyelia outcome; moreover, no correlation occurred between seizure-free condition and PF decompression in Group 1, or between disappearance of EEG anomalies and PF decompression in Group 2. A significant difference between the two groups was noticed regarding the mean age at admission (p = 0.003), amount of tonsillar herniation (p < 0.00001), and PF decompression (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: These findings do not support clinical correlations between CM1 and epilepsy. Their course depends on surgery and antiepileptic drugs, respectively. The analysis of the literature does not provide evidence of a relationship between seizures and cerebellar anomalies such as CM1. Rather than being linked to a syndrome that could explain such an association, the connection between the two now has to be considered to be random.

Heart rate variability alterations in Dravet Syndrome: The role of status epilepticus and a possible association with mortality risk.

PURPOSE: Preliminary data suggest that patients with Dravet Syndrome (DS) have a reduced heart rate variability (HRV). This seems particularly evident in patients who experienced sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). This study aims at confirming these findings in a larger cohort and at defining clinical, genetic or electroencephalographic predictors of HRV impairment in DS patients. METHODS: DS patients followed at our Institution performed a 24h-ECG Holter to derive HRV parameters. We used as control population patients with epilepsy (PWEs) and healthy controls (HCs). In DS patients, we assessed the impact of different clinical, neurophysiological and genetic features on HRV alterations through multiple linear regression. After a mean follow-up of 7.4 ± 3.2 years since the HRV assessment, all DS patients were contacted to record death or life-threatening events. RESULTS: 56 DS patients had a significantly reduced HRV compared to both HCs and PWEs. A recent history of status epilepticus (SE) was the only significant predictor of lower HRV in the multivariate analysis. At follow-up, only one patient died; her HRV was lower than that of all the controls and was in the low range for DS patients. CONCLUSION: We describe for the first time an association between SE and HRV alterations in DS. Further studies on other SCN1A-related phenotypes and other epilepsies with frequent SE will help clarify this finding. Compared to the literature, our cohort showed better HRV and lower mortality. Although limited, this observation reinforces the role of HRV as a biomarker for mortality risk in DS.

Hereditary Hyperekplexia: A New Family and a Systematic Review of GLRA1 Gene-Related Phenotypes.

Hereditary hyperekplexia (HPX) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder recently defined by the triad of (1) neonatal hypertonia, (2) excessive startle reflexes, and (3) generalized stiffness following the startle. Defects in GLRA1 are the most common cause of HPX, inherited both in an autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive manner. GLRA1 mutations can also cause milder phenotypes in the startle syndromes spectrum, but the prevalence is uncertain and no clear genotype-phenotype correlation has emerged yet. Moreover, the prevalence of neurodevelopmental outcomes has not been clearly defined. Here we report a new family of patients with a typical HPX phenotype, linked to a novel GLRA1 mutation, inherited with a recessive pattern. We then perform a systematic review of the literature of GLRA1-related HPX, describing the main epidemiological features of 210 patients. We found that GLRA1-related phenotypes do not necessarily fulfill the current criteria for HPX, including also milder and later-onset phenotypes. Among clinical features of the disease, neurodevelopmental issues were reported in a third of the sample; interestingly, we found that these problems, particularly when severe, were more common in homozygous than in heterozygous patients. Additional clinical and preclinical studies are needed to define predictors of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes and underlying mechanisms.

KETASER01 protocol: What went right and what went wrong.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the results of the KETASER01 trial and the reasons for its failure, particularly in view of future studies. METHODS: KETASER01 is a multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label, sequentially designed, non-profit Italian study that aimed to assess the efficacy of ketamine compared with conventional anesthetics in the treatment of refractory convulsive status epilepticus (RCSE) in children. RESULTS: During the 5-year recruitment phase, a total of 76 RCSEs treated with third-line therapy were observed in five of the 10 participating Centers; only 10 individuals (five for each study arm; five females, mean age 6.5 ± 6.3 years) were enrolled in the KETASER01 study. Two of the five patients (40%) in the experimental arm were successfully treated with ketamine and two of the five (40%) children in the control arm, where successfully treated with thiopental. In the remaining six (60%) enrolled patients, RCSE was not controlled by the randomized anesthetic(s). SIGNIFICANCE: The KETASER01 study was prematurely halted due to low eligibility of patients and no successful recruitment. No conclusions can be drawn regarding the objectives of the study. Here, we discuss the KETASER01 results and critically analyze the reasons for its failure in view of future trials.

Cortical Visual Impairment in CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder.

BACKGROUND: CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) is a developmental encephalopathy caused by pathogenic variants in the gene cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5. Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) is frequent in patients with CDD. In addition to being recognized as a specific feature of the pathology, it has been suggested that visual impairment may correlate with neurodevelopmental outcome and epilepsy severity, but no systematic behavioral visual assessment has been performed. The aim of our study was to evaluate clinical and electrophysiological profile of CVI in patients with CDD, to correlate various aspects of visual function to neurodevelopmental and epileptic features. METHODS: The study included all patients with CDD from the National Pathology Registry. All patients underwent neurological examination, a disease-specific functional assessment, structured clinical evaluation of visual functions, including pattern reversal visual evoked potential (VEP), and a detailed monitoring of epileptic features, including video-EEG. RESULTS: All the 11 patients recorded in the CDKL5 national registry, 10 females and one male, age range of 1.5 to 24 years (mean 9, SD 7.7, median 6.5), were enrolled. Visual function is impaired in all patients; in particular, visual fields, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and stereopsis were consistently abnormal whereas other aspects, such as fixing and tracking, were relatively preserved. Pattern reversal VEP was abnormal in nearly 80% of our patients. No correlation was found among CVI severity, age, level of psychomotor development, EEG abnormalities, and pathology stages even if an overall less abnormal EEG pattern was more often associated with better visual results. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, CVI can be considered as a major feature of CDD with a diffuse involvement in several behavioral and electrophysiological aspects. Larger cohorts will help to better clarify the possible prognostic role of EEG severity in predicting both visual and developmental abnormalities.

Calcified cephalohematoma as an unusual cause of EEG anomalies: case report.

Cephalohematoma, one of the most common neonatal head injuries, generally undergoes spontaneous resorption. When calcified, it may cause cranial vault distortion and depression of the inner skull layer, although it remains asymptomatic. Surgery, indeed, is usually performed for cosmetic purposes. For these reasons, the long-term effects of calcified cephalohematoma (CC) are widely unknown. The authors report the case of an 11-year-old girl with a persistent calcified CC causing skull deformity and delayed electroencephalography (EEG) anomalies. These anomalies were detected during routine control EEG and were not clinically evident. The young girl underwent surgical removal of the CC for cosmetic purpose. The EEG abnormalities disappeared after surgery, thus reinforcing the hypothesis of a correlation with the brain "compression" resulting from the CC. To the best of the authors' knowledge this is the first time that CC-associated EEG anomalies have been described: even though these anomalies cannot be considered an indication for surgery, they merit late follow-up in case of skull deformity.