Advancing Presurgical Mapping of Epileptic and Functional Networks with Stereo-EEG

Patients with focal epilepsy, where seizures arise from a specific brain region, may benefit from surgery to control seizures. However, surgery carries risks to vital functions such as speech or movement, and some patients continue to experience seizures despite treatment. Before surgery, doctors can use a technique called stereo-EEG (SEEG) to map both seizure-generating and functional regions, helping to guide safer operations. Yet with our current best approaches, many patients have incomplete seizure control or experience functional decline. This thesis focuses on improving presurgical mapping with SEEG to better balance seizure freedom and preservation of function, ultimately improving patient outcomes.