Wada testing and fMRI in a polyglot evaluated for epilepsy surgery

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Linguistics

Background:

• Limited research exists on presurgical evaluation for epilepsy surgery in multilingual individuals.
• Assessing language function in non-native languages is crucial for surgical planning.

Observation:

• A 52-year-old woman with refractory epilepsy spoke six languages.
• She underwent a trilingual presurgical evaluation including neuropsychological tests, Wada testing, fMRI, and electrocortical stimulation.

Findings:

• Seizure focus identified in the left temporal lobe.
• Language localization predominantly showed right-hemispheric dominance.
• Left temporal laser interstitial thermal therapy was performed.

Implications:

• Successful epilepsy surgery was achieved in a highly multilingual patient.
• Preserved language function post-surgery demonstrates the efficacy of tailored evaluation methods.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration is key for optimal outcomes in complex epilepsy cases.