Altered microstructural connectivity in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
The missing link
Abstract
Objectives:
Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is characterized by myoclonic jerks of the upper limbs, often triggered by cognitive stressors. Here we aim to reconcile this particular seizure phenotype with the known frontal lobe type neuropsychological profile, photosensitivity, hyperexcitable motor cortex, and recent advanced imaging studies that identified abnormal functional connectivity of the motor cortex and supplementary motor area (SMA).
Methods:
We acquired fMRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in a cohort of 29 patients with JME and 28 healthy control subjects. We used fMRI to determine functional connectivity and DTI-based region parcellation and voxel-wise comparison of probabilistic tractography data to assess the structural connectivity profiles of the mesial frontal lobe.
Results:
Patients with JME showed alterations of mesial frontal connectivity with increased structural connectivity between the prefrontal cognitive cortex and motor cortex. We found a positive correlation between DTI and fMRI-based measures of structural and functional connectivity: the greater the structural connectivity between these 2 regions, the greater the observed functional connectivity of corresponding areas. Furthermore, connectivity was reduced between prefrontal and frontopolar regions and increased between the occipital cortex and the SMA.
Conclusion:
The observed alterations in microstructural connectivity of the mesial frontal region may represent the anatomic basis for cognitive triggering of motor seizures in JME. Changes in the mesial frontal connectivity profile provide an explanatory framework for several other clinical observations in JME and may be the link between seizure semiology, neurophysiology, neuropsychology, and imaging findings in JME.
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Information & Authors
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Copyright
Copyright © 2012 by AAN Enterprises, Inc.
Publication History
Received: August 15, 2011
Accepted: January 17, 2012
Published online: May 2, 2012
Published in print: May 15, 2012
Disclosure
Dr. Vollmar, Dr. O'Muircheartaigh, and Dr. Symms report no disclosures. Prof. Barker received honoraria for teaching for and serving on scientific advisory boards of General Electric Healthcare. Dr. Thompson, Prof. Kumari, and J. Stretton report no disclosures. Prof. Duncan serves on scientific advisory boards for and/or has received funding for travel from GE Healthcare. Prof. Richardson reports no disclosures. Prof. Koepp served on a scientific advisory board of GE. Go to Neurology.org for full disclosures.
Authors
Author Contributions
Dr. Vollmar: drafting/revising the manuscript, study concept or design, analysis or interpretation of data, acquisition of data, statistical analysis. Dr. O'Muircheartaigh: drafting/revising the manuscript. Dr. Symms: drafting/revising the manuscript, study concept or design, analysis or interpretation of data, contribution of vital reagents/tools, study supervision, obtaining funding. Prof. Baker: drafting/revising the manuscript, study concept or design, analysis or interpretation of data, study supervision. Dr. Thompson: drafting/revising the manuscript, study concept or design, analysis or interpretation of data, acquisition of data, study supervision. Prof. Kumari: drafting/revising the manuscript, study concept or design, obtaining funding. J. Stretton: study concept or design, acquisition of data. Prof. Duncan: drafting/revising the manuscript, analysis or interpretation of data, study supervision, obtaining funding. Prof. Richardson: drafting/revising the manuscript, study concept or design, analysis or interpretation of data, study supervision, obtaining funding. Prof. Koepp: drafting/revising the manuscript, study concept or design, analysis or interpretation of data, acquisition of data, statistical analysis, study supervision, obtaining funding.
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