Analysis of Lateralization of Language in Epileptic Children by Near-infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS)

Recent data published by various laboratories as well as our preliminary data tend to prove that near-infrared spectroscopy can be used to determine the lateralization of language as part of the preoperative assessment for drug-resistant epilepsy. The reference test used up until very recently was the Wada test, which consisted of injecting an anaesthetic (generally amobarbital sodium) into one of the internal carotid arteries (right or left) in order to determine the predominant cerebral hemisphere for language. This invasive test has been progressively replaced by fMRI, which is nevertheless difficult to perform in children under the age of 7 years. NIRS therefore appears to be a useful alternative, which, in contrast with fMRI, can be easily repeated and allows simple investigation of the various facets of language (e.g. expressive, receptive). In the GRAMFC unit, the investigators have acquired a unique know-how in the field of high-resolution NIRS, both in epilepsy and in the development of language structures.