Executive Functions May Predict Outcome in Deep Brain Stimulation of Anterior Nucleus of Thalamus for Treatment of Refractory Epilepsy

Abstract

Better executive functions and attention seemed to predict improved clinical outcome after the ANT DBS surgery. Based on our preliminary descriptive findings and the anatomical connectivity hypothesis, we suggest that deficits in executive functions may relate to an inferior outcome. This finding might offer new tools for refining the selection of patients with refractory epilepsy scheduled to undergo ANT DBS surgery. Moreover, it highlights the need for further investigations of neural connectivity in epilepsy.