Medical Physics Seminar – Monday, October 10, 2016
Development of Covariance Networks of Cortical/Subcortical Volumes on Children with New-onset Epilepsy
Camille Garcia-Ramos (student of Vivek Prabhakaran)
Research Assistant, Department of Medical Physics, UW-School of Medicine & Public Health, Madison, WI - USA
Graph theory is an analysis methodology that makes possible the study of complex networks like
the brain in a highly complete manner by enabling general as well as specific investigations. Graph
theory analyses have been implemented at the structural brain level through the use of covariance
analyses of cortical thickness or volumes; however, its uses regarding prospective brain
development have not been explored yet. Studying the brain development in cases of new
-
onset
idiopathic epilepsies, where there is no known cause for their origin would provide special insights
about epilepsy brain status early on the syndrome. In this investigation the brain development in
children with new
-
onset idiopathic epilepsies would be investigated using graph theory techniques
on covariance networks of brain volumes by combining both baseline and follow
-
up studies into a
single graph that would be used for evaluations.