Clinical Research Studies

Are you eligible to participate in this study?

You may be eligible for this study if you meet the following criteria:

• Conditions:
  Epilepsy
• Age: Between 18 Year(s) - 99 Year(s)
• Gender: Male or Female

• Other Inclusion Criteria:
  

  Cohort A: Autoimmune epilepsy

  1. Adult subjects (age 18-80) with focal epilepsy who carry a pathogenic antibody in serum and/or CSF including: LGI1, CASPR2, NMDA-R, AMPA-R, GABA-A, GABA-B, and/or high titer GAD65
  2. Subjects who are immunomodulation-naive

  Cohort B: Temporal lobe epilepsy, antibody-negative

  1. Adult subjects (age 18-80) with temporal lobe epilepsy on the basis of electroclinical characteristics
  2. Subjects who have undergone antibody testing for the pathogenic antibodies listed above and are antibody negative.
  3. Subjects will be matched to cohort A for the following variables:
     • Age
     • Sex
     • Seizure frequency

  Cohort C: Healthy controls.

  1. Adult subjects who are between the ages of 18 and 80 years old.

  
  

You may not be eligible for this study if the following are true:

• All Cohorts:

  1. Subjects who are younger than 18 years old
  2. Use of regular benzodiazepines
  3. Subjects who are pregnant
  4. Subjects who have known history of serious or unstable medical illness, including cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, respiratory, endocrine or hematologic disease. We will exclude subjects with a formal diagnosis for any illness associated with chronic inflammation
  5. Subjects who are obese (BMI >= 30) and subjects with cardiovascular risk factors
  6. Clinical or laboratory evidence of hypothyroidism
  7. Contraindications to 3T whole body MRI scanners
  8. Contraindications for Gadolinium-based MRI contrast (allergies to contrast agents and kidney health)
  9. Subjects who are unable to sign informed consent or to comply with study assessments
  10. Subjects who are claustrophobic
  11. Subjects who have had a recent exposure to radiation