The document discusses a study that examines changes in the size of the thalamus and brainstem during epileptic seizures. The study hypothesizes that the thalamus will be significantly smaller in size for people who have experienced seizures compared to those who have not. MRI scans are obtained for patients both with and without seizure histories and analyzed using MatLab software to measure and compare thalamus volumes between the groups. The results may provide insight into preventing future seizures.

1. Preventing Seizures: The Size of the Thalamus After an Epileptic Seizure Seizures By: Peter Satonick

3. result in seizure treatment done continuously over time

4. epileptics must take medicine 2-4 times per day, every day, over periods of many years

5. epileptics become frightened that a seizure will occur at any time

6. Ex. Supermarket lady – won’t step a foot outside

7. 70% of epileptics wish to commit suicide

9. Hope that this study will lead to future prevention of seizures

10. Thalamus

11. The “mail sorter” of the brain

12. When information travels to the brain, it first goes to the thalamus

13. The thalamus then sorts out the information and sends the information to the a cortex of the brain

17. 3D pixels

18. 1mm cube

19. In this image:

20. L: 7mm

21. W: 3mm

22. H: 7mmBecause V= L*W*H V= 147 mm3 7mm 3mm 7mm

24. L: 4mm

25. W: 1mm

26. H: 3mmBecause V= L*W*H V= 12mm3 3mm 3mm 1mm 1mm 4mm 4mm

27. MatLab

28. Data Interpretation Obtain fMRIs of patients who have had seizures Obtain fMRIs of patients with seizure symptoms Obtain fMRIs of patients who have had no seizure symptoms Scan fMRIs onto MRI Software Program Use measuring tool on MRI Software Program to measure the difference in size between patients w/ seizures, patients w/ seizure symptoms, and patients without an seizure symptoms Record, interpret data, and graph data Draw conclusions

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