Exploring the Role of the Pulvinar Nucleus of the Thalamus in Occipital Lobe Epilepsy: A Case Report

Abstract

Understanding the role of the pulvinar nucleus may be critical for guiding circuit-targeted neurosurgical intervention in some patients. In this report, a 33-year-old female presented with focal onset occipital epilepsy with secondary generalization and with a previously radiated arteriovenous malformation within the right primary visual cortex. Phase II monitoring demonstrated the pulvinar nucleus was not involved in subclinical seizures restricted to the primary visual cortex, but it did become involved in clinical events with more extensive seizure spread into higher visual cortical regions. She underwent responsive neurostimulation (RNS) with implantation of leads within the primary visual cortex. This case demonstrates the late propagation of epileptic activity from the visual cortex to the pulvinar nucleus and illustrates the pulvinar nucleus' connections with higher-order visual areas.