POLER Laboratory
About the Lab
The Plasticity of Language and Epilepsy Research (POLER) Laboratory seeks to understand the effects of epilepsy on brain structure and functioning. We utilize structural and functional imaging to observe neuronal differences in youth with epilepsy, focusing on cognitive domains such as language, memory, and executive functioning. While our name highlights plasticity of language, we have expanded our research interests and projects across cognitive, behavioral, and imaging fields. Our goal is to enhance the clinical care of patients with epilepsy to improve the outcomes and lives of children with epilepsy.
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Lab Focus Areas
Hippocampal Functioning in Pediatric Epilepsy Seizure-Focus Detection using fMRI Screening for Coexisting Conditions in Epilepsy Clinic
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Contact
Emily Matuska Clinical Research Coordinator polerlab@childrensnational.org
- External Lab Site
Featured Publications
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Functional Connectivity Hemispheric Contrast (FC-HC): A new metric for Language Mapping
Juma S. Mbwana, Xiaozhen You, Alyssa Ailion, Eleanor J. Fanto, Manu Krishnamurthy, Leigh N. Sepeta, Elissa L. Newport, Chandan J. Vaidya, Madison M. Berl, William D. Gaillard NeuroImage: Clinical 2021 -
Spatiotemporal distribution and age of seizure onset in a pediatric epilepsy surgery cohort with cortical dysplasia
Natrujee Wiwattanadittakul, Sirorat Suwannachote, Xiaozhen You, Nathan T. Cohen, Tan Tran, Rochana Phuackchantuck, Tammy N. Tsuchida, Dewi F. Depositario-Cabacar, Tesfaye Zelleke, John M. Schreiber, Joan A Conry, Amy Kao, Luca Bartolini, Chima Oluigbo, M. Isabel Almira-Suarez, Kathryn Havens, Matthew T. Whitehead, William Davis Gaillard Epilepsy Research Volume 172 2021 -
Establishing criteria for pediatric epilepsy surgery center levels of care: Report from the ILAE Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Task Force
Gaillard WD, Jette N, Arnold ST, Arzimanoglou A, Braun KPJ, Cukiert A, Dick A, Harvey AS, Jacobs J, Rydenhag B, Udani V, Wilmhurst JM, Cross JH, Jayakar P Epilepsia 61(12): 2629-2642 December (2020) -
Cortical thickness in childhood left focal epilepsy: Thinning beyond the seizure focus
Boutzoukas EM, Crutcher J, Somoza E, Sepeta LN, You X, Gaillard WD, Wallace GL, Berl MM Epilepsy Behav 102 December (2019) -
Imaging episodic memory during development and childhood epilepsy
Sepeta LN, Berl MM, Gaillard WD J Neurodev Disord 10(1): 40. December (2018)