Using Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep to Enable and Enhance Clinical Epilepsy Surgery

A seizure is a medical emergency. 1 in 10 people will be hit by at least one seizure in their lifetime. 1 in 26 people continue to be hit by seizures recurrently: this is epilepsy. When medications do not work, surgery is needed to cut out seizing brain tissue. Unfortunately, many people cannot presently benefit from epilepsy surgery. Our research will harness the power of dream sleep (rapid eye movement or REM sleep) to help locate where the seizures are coming from. Empowered with this information, we can help guide the surgeon on where to perform life-changing epilepsy surgery. Our research will partner with the HSC Foundation, affiliated with Manitoba’s flagship hospital for neuroscience (Health Sciences Centre), to further its goal of advancing research and cutting-edge health care for the benefit of all Manitobans.

Faculty Supervisor:

Marcus Ng;Zahra MK Moussavi

Student:

Amirhossein Ghassemi

Partner:

Health Sciences Centre Foundation

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Manitoba