Article (Scientific journals)
Locus coeruleus features are linked to vagus nerve stimulation response in drug-resistant epilepsy
Berger, Alexandre; Beckers, Elise; Joris, Vincent et al.
2024In Frontiers in Neuroscience, 18
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Keywords :
General Neuroscience
Abstract :
[en] The locus coeruleus–norepinephrine system is thought to be involved in the clinical effects of vagus nerve stimulation. This system is known to prevent seizure development and induce long-term plastic changes, particularly with the release of norepinephrine in the hippocampus. However, the requisites to become responder to the therapy and the mechanisms of action are still under investigation. Using MRI, we assessed the structural and functional characteristics of the locus coeruleus and microstructural properties of locus coeruleus-hippocampus white matter tracts in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy responding or not to the therapy. Twenty-three drug-resistant epileptic patients with cervical vagus nerve stimulation were recruited for this pilot study, including 13 responders or partial responders and 10 non-responders. A dedicated structural MRI acquisition allowed in vivo localization of the locus coeruleus and computation of its contrast (an accepted marker of LC integrity). Locus coeruleus activity was estimated using functional MRI during an auditory oddball task. Finally, multi-shell diffusion MRI was used to estimate the structural properties of locus coeruleus-hippocampus tracts. These characteristics were compared between responders/partial responders and non-responders and their association with therapy duration was also explored. In patients with a better response to the therapy, trends toward a lower activity and a higher contrast were found in the left medial and right caudal portions of the locus coeruleus, respectively. An increased locus coeruleus contrast, bilaterally over its medial portions, correlated with duration of the treatment. Finally, a higher integrity of locus coeruleus-hippocampus connections was found in patients with a better response to the treatment. These new insights into the neurobiology of vagus nerve stimulation may provide novel markers of the response to the treatment and may reflect neuroplasticity effects occurring in the brain following the implantation.
Research center :
CRC - Centre de Recherches du Cyclotron - ULiège [BE]
Disciplines :
Neurology
Author, co-author :
Berger, Alexandre
Beckers, Elise  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA
Joris, Vincent
Duchêne, Gaëtan
Danthine, Venethia
Delinte, Nicolas
Cakiroglu, Inci
Sherif, Siya
Morrison, Enrique Ignacio Germany
Sánchez, Andres Torres
Macq, Benoit
Dricot, Laurence
Vandewalle, Gilles   ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques
El Tahry, Riëm 
More authors (4 more) Less
 These authors have contributed equally to this work.
Language :
English
Title :
Locus coeruleus features are linked to vagus nerve stimulation response in drug-resistant epilepsy
Publication date :
13 February 2024
Journal title :
Frontiers in Neuroscience
ISSN :
1662-4548
eISSN :
1662-453X
Publisher :
Frontiers Media SA
Volume :
18
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Available on ORBi :
since 23 February 2024

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