Altered Structural and Functional Feature of Striato-Cortical Circuit in Benign Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes

Abstract

Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECT) is the most common form of childhood idiopathic focal epilepsy syndrome. We investigated quantitative evidence regarding brain morphology and functional connectivity features to provide insight into the neuroanatomical foundation of this disorder, using high resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting state functional MRI in 21 patients with BECT and in 20 healthy children. The functional connectivity analysis, seeded at the regions with altered gray-matter (GM) volume in voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis, was further performed. Then, the observed structural and functional alteration were investigated for their association with the clinical and behavior manifestations. The increased GM volume in the striatum and fronto-temporo-parietal cortex (striato-cortical circuit) was observed in BECT. The decreased connections were found among the motor network and frontostriatal loop, and between the default mode network (DMN) and language regions. Additionally, the GM of striatum was negatively correlated with age at epilepsy onset. The current observations may contribute to the understanding of the altered structural and functional feature of striato-cortical circuit in patients with BECT. The findings also implied alterations of the motor network and DMN, which were associated with the epileptic activity in patients with BECT. This further suggested that the onset of BECT might have enduring structural and functional effects on brain maturation.

Altered functional and effective connectivity in anticorrelated intrinsic networks in children with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

“…In previous studies, decreased FC has often been reported in patients with different types of epilepsy, [26,32,33] suggesting that the epileptiform activity interrupts the functional interactions of the brain. Interestingly, more obvious FC was observed in the patients with BECTS than in the healthy controls.…”

Differential patterns of dynamic functional connectivity variability of striato–cortical circuitry in children with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

“…Prior works focusing on the subcortical development of BECTS reported selective putamen hypertrophy among the basal ganglia structures (Garcia‐Ramos et al, ; Lin et al, ). In addition, a recent resting‐state fMRI study has shown decreased connections among the motor network and fronto‐striatal loop in BECTS (Luo et al, ). Aberrant functional interaction between the motor cortex and language areas was also demonstrated in children with rolandic epilepsy (Besseling et al, ).…”

Functional Network Connectivity Patterns between Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy with Myoclonic and Absence Seizures

“…Moreover, interictal epileptic discharges also lead to the transient cognitive impairment (Hommet et al, 2006). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), many of the studies on focal epilepsy demonstrated the abnormality in subcortical network, default mode network, hippocampal network, and so on Liao et al (2011) and Luo et al (2015). Similarly, the altered functional networks covering cortical and subcortical structures were observed in patients with IGE (Luo et al, 2012a; Dong et al, 2016).…”