Respiratory modulations of cortical excitability and interictal spike timing in focal epilepsy: a case report
Abstract Background Brain activity in focal epilepsy is marked by a pronounced excitation-inhibition (E:I) imbalance and interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) observed in periods between recurrent seizures. As a marker of E:I balance, aperiodic neural activity and its underlying 1/f characterist...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Communications Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00811-z |
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| author | Daniel S. Kluger Tim Erdbrügger Christina Stier Malte B. Höltershinken Omid Abbasi Martina Saltafossi Kanjana Unnwongse Tim Wehner Jörg Wellmer Joachim Gross Carsten H. Wolters |
| author_facet | Daniel S. Kluger Tim Erdbrügger Christina Stier Malte B. Höltershinken Omid Abbasi Martina Saltafossi Kanjana Unnwongse Tim Wehner Jörg Wellmer Joachim Gross Carsten H. Wolters |
| author_sort | Daniel S. Kluger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Brain activity in focal epilepsy is marked by a pronounced excitation-inhibition (E:I) imbalance and interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) observed in periods between recurrent seizures. As a marker of E:I balance, aperiodic neural activity and its underlying 1/f characteristic reflect the dynamic interplay of excitatory and inhibitory currents. Recent studies have independently assessed 1/f changes both in epilepsy and in the context of body-brain interactions in neurotypical individuals where the respiratory rhythm has emerged as a potential modulator of excitability states in the brain. Methods Here, we investigate respiration phase-locked modulations of E:I balance and their involvement in the timing of spike discharges in a case report of a 25 year-old focal epilepsy patient using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Results We show that i) respiration differentially modulates E:I balance in focal epilepsy compared to N = 40 neurotypical controls and ii) IED timing depends on both excitability and respiratory states. Conclusions These findings overall suggest an intricate interplay of respiration phase-locked changes in excitation and the consequential susceptibility for IED generation and we hope they will spark interest in subsequent work on body-brain coupling and E:I balance in epilepsy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-133dce511b7e409bbc19ed25ff965ca5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2730-664X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-133dce511b7e409bbc19ed25ff965ca52025-08-20T03:10:08ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Medicine2730-664X2025-04-01511710.1038/s43856-025-00811-zRespiratory modulations of cortical excitability and interictal spike timing in focal epilepsy: a case reportDaniel S. Kluger0Tim Erdbrügger1Christina Stier2Malte B. Höltershinken3Omid Abbasi4Martina Saltafossi5Kanjana Unnwongse6Tim Wehner7Jörg Wellmer8Joachim Gross9Carsten H. Wolters10Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of MünsterInstitute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of MünsterInstitute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of MünsterInstitute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of MünsterInstitute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of MünsterInstitute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of MünsterRuhr-Epileptology, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr-University BochumRuhr-Epileptology, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr-University BochumRuhr-Epileptology, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr-University BochumInstitute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of MünsterInstitute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of MünsterAbstract Background Brain activity in focal epilepsy is marked by a pronounced excitation-inhibition (E:I) imbalance and interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) observed in periods between recurrent seizures. As a marker of E:I balance, aperiodic neural activity and its underlying 1/f characteristic reflect the dynamic interplay of excitatory and inhibitory currents. Recent studies have independently assessed 1/f changes both in epilepsy and in the context of body-brain interactions in neurotypical individuals where the respiratory rhythm has emerged as a potential modulator of excitability states in the brain. Methods Here, we investigate respiration phase-locked modulations of E:I balance and their involvement in the timing of spike discharges in a case report of a 25 year-old focal epilepsy patient using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Results We show that i) respiration differentially modulates E:I balance in focal epilepsy compared to N = 40 neurotypical controls and ii) IED timing depends on both excitability and respiratory states. Conclusions These findings overall suggest an intricate interplay of respiration phase-locked changes in excitation and the consequential susceptibility for IED generation and we hope they will spark interest in subsequent work on body-brain coupling and E:I balance in epilepsy.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00811-z |
| spellingShingle | Daniel S. Kluger Tim Erdbrügger Christina Stier Malte B. Höltershinken Omid Abbasi Martina Saltafossi Kanjana Unnwongse Tim Wehner Jörg Wellmer Joachim Gross Carsten H. Wolters Respiratory modulations of cortical excitability and interictal spike timing in focal epilepsy: a case report Communications Medicine |
| title | Respiratory modulations of cortical excitability and interictal spike timing in focal epilepsy: a case report |
| title_full | Respiratory modulations of cortical excitability and interictal spike timing in focal epilepsy: a case report |
| title_fullStr | Respiratory modulations of cortical excitability and interictal spike timing in focal epilepsy: a case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Respiratory modulations of cortical excitability and interictal spike timing in focal epilepsy: a case report |
| title_short | Respiratory modulations of cortical excitability and interictal spike timing in focal epilepsy: a case report |
| title_sort | respiratory modulations of cortical excitability and interictal spike timing in focal epilepsy a case report |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00811-z |
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