Alteration of functional connectivity and network properties after Stereo-electroencephalography guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation

Background Stereo-electroencephalography guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF-TC) aims at changing epileptogenic networks to achieve therapeutic purpose. However, the function connectivity mechanism of RF-TC remains unknown. We sought to determine the effects of RF-TC on function connectivity and the relationship between these variations and the clinical outcome. Methods For this retrospective cohort study, we used resting-state data segments to assess functional connectivity across sampling areas in seventeen epilepsy patients. We analyzed the variance of functional connectivity and graph theory indicators and assessed the relationship between variation and clinical response to RF-TC. Results We found decreased functional connectivity both within and between epileptogenic zone in alpha band (p < 0.05) after RF-TC. We also discovered the alteration of most graph theory properties in the alpha band. Moreover, within connectivity and betweenness were significantly decreased in special frequency band in the non-improvement group (p < 0.05), while clustering coefficient showed opposite change in the improvement group (p < 0.05). Eventually, compared to improvement group, we discovered a greater decrease of within connectivity of alpha band in the epileptogenic zone (p < 0.01). Conclusion Quantified changes in function connectivity and network features can be observed after RF-TC. Reduction of within connectivity of alpha band in epileptogenic zone could be predictor for seizure outcome. This is the first study to assess the therapeutic efficacy of RF-TC using functional connectivity, it showed that function connectivity and graph theory analyses of short resting-state SEEG recording may provide significant predictive information following RF-TC.