Cognitive Function and Glymphatic System in Children With Epilepsy
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2024-08-24
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Epilepsy, one of the most common neurological disorders in childhood, is a chronic brain
disease characterized by neurobiological, psychological and cognitive effects. Neuropeptide-Y
(NPY) and neural growth factor (NGF) play a role in different pathological processes seen in
epileptogenesis. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), a quantitative indicator of brain damage, has
been shown to exhibit elevated serum levels in individuals with epilepsy and is associated
with cognitive functions.
It is reported that the glymphatic system, which is associated with epileptic seizures, is a
treatment method that can prevent cognitive impairment by preventing the accumulation of
toxic waste proteins.
Inspiratory muscle training, one of the respiratory physiotherapy techniques, is used as
supportive treatment in patients with weak respiratory muscle strength. Weakness in
respiratory muscle strength has also been detected in the epilepsy group in which the
glymphatic system is affected.
40 children with epilepsy who meet the inclusion criteria and volunteer to participate in the
study will participate. Children with epilepsy will be divided into two groups: experimental
group (n = 20) and control group (n = 20) using the block randomization method.
The experimental group will be given Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) with the Threshold
device for 30 minutes every day for 8 weeks after routine medication use. The control group
will be followed only with routine medication use.
Demographic information of all participants will be recorded. Respiratory function will be
evaluated with a portable spirometer device, respiratory muscle strength will be evaluated
with a portable electronic mouth pressure measurement device, and cognitive performance will
be evaluated with the Serial Digit Learning Test (SDLT).
Biochemical analyses; Serum levels of neuron specific enolase (NSE), neuropeptide-Y (NPY) and
neural growth factor (NGF) will be determined with an ELISA kit set. The glymphatic system
will be evaluated with Diffusion Tensor Imaging Analysis Across the Perivascular Space
(DTI-ALPS). In both groups, the initial evaluations will be repeated after 8 weeks.
This research project was planned to prevent the development of seizures and improve
biochemical parameters, glymphatic system dysfunction and cognitive functions with
inspiratory muscle training in pediatric epilepsy patients.