Abstract
To categorize and clinically characterize subtypes of brain structural connectivity patterns in unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Voxel based morphometry (VBM) and surfaced based morphometry (SBM) analysis were used to detect brain structural alterations associated with TLE from MRI data. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to identify subtypes of brain structural connectivity patterns. Correlation analysis was used to explore associations between PC scores and clinical characteristics. A total of 59 patients with TLE and 100 healthy adults were included in this study. Widespread cortical atrophy was shown in both left and right TLE (P < 0.05, FWE corrected). Six principal components (PCs) that explained more than 70% of the variance were extracted for left and right TLE, reflecting patterns of brain structural connectivity. PCs representing perisylvian connectivity were positively correlated with verbal IQ (left TLE: r = 0.696, P < 0.001; right TLE: r = 0.484, P = 0.012) and total IQ (left TLE r = 0.608, P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with disease duration (r = −0.448, P = 0.009). In left TLE, the PC in the ipsilateral mesial temporal region was negatively correlated with age at onset (r = −0.382, P = 0.028). In right TLE, the PC representing the default mode network was negatively correlated with number of antiepileptic drugs (r = −0.407, P = 0.039). This study categorized subtypes of unilateral TLE based on brain structural connectivity patterns. Findings may provide insight into seizure pathways, the pathophysiology of epilepsy, including comorbidities such as cognitive impairment, and help predict treatment outcomes.
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All data generated and analyzed during this study are included in this published article. The transcripts from which this manuscript was developed are available on request from the corresponding author.
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The authors thanked the patients and the healthy adults who participated in this study.
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This work was supported by the National technology research and development program (863 program) of China (2015137) and Science and technology Planning Project of Guangzhou (202102080514). The funding body had no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript.
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Z.S. Li and C. Jiang were responsible for the study performance, image processing, statistical analysis, drafting manuscript. Z.J. Qi and W. Xiang were responsible for data organization. Q.W. Gao, J. Lin, K.R. Peng and W. Wang provided TLE patients and interpreted the data. W.M. Wang and B.M. Deng were both corresponding authors and contributed to the study concept and design, revising manuscript, obtaining funding.
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We confirm that we have read the Editorial Policy pages. Written consent was obtained from 59 participants. One of the female patients was under 18 years old and the consent was provided by both of her parents. This study was approved by the institutional review board at the General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command.
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Li, Z., Jiang, C., Xiang, W. et al. Brain structural connectivity sub typing in unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy. Brain Imaging and Behavior 16, 2220–2228 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-022-00691-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-022-00691-0