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Understanding and diagnosing cognitive impairment in epilepsy remains a prominent challenge. New etiological models suggest that cognitive difficulties might not be directly linked to seizure activity, but are rather a manifestation of a broader brain pathology. Consequently, treating seizures is not sufficient to alleviate cognitive symptoms, highlighting the need for novel diagnostic tools. Here, we investigated whether the organization of three intrinsic, resting-state functional connectivity networks was correlated with domain-specific cognitive test performance. Using individualized

Background To investigate whether supervisor behavior, students’ participation and approach, and psychological safety were associated with self-reported excellent learning outcome from supervised encounters with patients among European medical students. Methods A cross-sectional, online survey among European medical students asking about their latest clinical supervision experience. Associations were examined with logistic regression. Results Students (N=908) from >25 countries reported on experiences from supervised patient encounters in most types of hospital departments and general practice. One out of six (17%) students perceived the learning outcome as excellent. In the multivariable logistic regression, this was independently associated with supervisor role modelling (odds ratio (OR) 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–3.0) and addressing learning goals (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.7), students’ approach to learning (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0–3.0) and psychological safety (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–2.0). Supervisors being present during the patient encounter, coaching students or asking questions to have students express their thinking, and student participation in examination and/or history taking was not associated with perceived excellent learning outcome. Conclusion We encourage supervisors to recognize that students are beginners in most supervised clinical settings and often appreciate having learning goals addressed, behavior and thinking role modelled, and psychological safety established before they participate more fully.

ObjectiveThe hypersynchronous neuronal activity associated with epilepsy causes widespread functional network disruptions extending beyond the epileptogenic zone. This altered functional network topology is considered a mediator from which non-seizure symptoms arise, such as cognitive impairment. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the presence of functional network alterations in focal epilepsy patients with good seizure control and high quality of life.MethodsWe compared twenty-two focal epilepsy patients and sixteen healthy controls on graph metrics derived from functional connectivity (phase-locking value) of source reconstructed resting-state EEG. Graph metrics were calculated over a predefined range of network densities in five frequency bands.ResultsIn terms of global network topology alterations, we observed a significantly increased small world index in epilepsy patients relative to the healthy controls. On the local level, two left-hemisphere regions displayed a shift towards greater alpha band “hubness”.ConclusionsSubtle widespread functional network alterations are evident in focal epilepsy, even in a cohort characterised by successful anti-seizure medication therapy and high quality of life. These findings suggest a possible clinical relevance of functional network analysis in epilepsy.SignificanceFocal epilepsy is accompanied by global and local functional network aberrancies which might be implied in the sustenance of non-seizure symptoms.HighlightsFocal epilepsies are associated with widespread interictal functional network alterations, extending beyond the epilepsy focus.Global and local graph theoretical analyses of source-space EEG functional connectivity networks capture these network changes, and might thus be of clinical relevance.Group-level differences in network metrics are relatively stable across network analysis parameters.