The anterior and centromedian thalamus: Anatomy, function, and dysfunction in epilepsy

Nebras M Warsi; Han Yan; Hrishikesh Suresh; Simeon M Wong; Olivia N Arski; Carolina Gorodetsky; Kristina Zhang; Flavia Venetucci Gouveia; George M Ibrahim

doi:10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.106913

The anterior and centromedian thalamus: Anatomy, function, and dysfunction in epilepsy

Epilepsy Res. 2022 May:182:106913. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.106913. Epub 2022 Mar 25.

Authors

Nebras M Warsi¹, Han Yan², Hrishikesh Suresh¹, Simeon M Wong³, Olivia N Arski⁴, Carolina Gorodetsky⁵, Kristina Zhang⁴, Flavia Venetucci Gouveia⁴, George M Ibrahim⁶

Affiliations

¹ Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
² Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
³ Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁴ Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁵ Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁶ Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 35395570
DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.106913

Abstract

The thalamus is a densely connected collection of nuclei that play a critical role in gating information flow across the neocortex. Through diffuse reciprocal cortico-thalamo-cortical connectivity, the anterior and centromedian nuclei exert remarkable control over cortically expressed activity. Consequently, mounting evidence implicates these thalamic centres in both the genesis and propagation of aberrant epileptiform activity across the brain. The present work reviews existing literature with regards to the anatomy, function, and dysfunction of the anterior and centromedian thalamic nuclei as they relate to epileptogenesis and ictal dynamics in humans. A confluence of electrophysiological, anatomical, and neuromodulatory evidence links these thalamic hubs to a variety of epilepsy syndromes. These data are discussed as they relate to targeted thalamic neuromodulation.

Keywords: Refractory epilepsy; Thalamic nuclei; Thalamus; VNS; dbs.

MeSH terms

Epilepsy*
Humans
Thalamus*