Perioperative investigations in epilepsy surgery - An introduction

The scientific conditions associated with neurosurgical interventions, and in particular epilepsy surgery, offer an unique opportunity to study human brain function. To realize such a perioperative scientific approach an object-oriented interdisciplinary, group has been formed. Clinical and experimental scientists included in this group focus their scientific activities on the phase before the surgical intervention (preoperative investigations), on the intervention itself (intraoperative investigations), as well as on the period when the part of the brain which has to be removed is available for further studies (postoperative investigations). This concept of perioperative investigations in epilepsy surgery results in synergistic interaction of different scientific disciplines.