TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantitative MR and cognitive impairment in cryptogenic localisation-related epilepsy
AU - Jansen, Jacobus F. A.
AU - van der Kruijs, Sylvie J. M.
AU - Vlooswijk, Marielle C. G.
AU - Majoie, H. J. Marian
AU - Hofman, Paul A. M.
AU - Aldenkamp, Albert P.
AU - Backes, Waiter H.
PY - 2014/9
Y1 - 2014/9
N2 - For patients with chronic cryptogenic localisation-related epilepsy (CLRE), conventional MRI does not provide measures to discern between patients with or without cognitive complaints. We investigated, in a preliminary study, whether it is possible to detect cerebral biomarkers of cognitive impairment in patients with CLRE using sensitive quantitative MRI techniques. Neuropsychological assessment and quantitative 3.0 T MRI, comprising T2 relaxometry, diffusion tensor imaging, and spectroscopic imaging, were applied to 35 patients with CLRE and 21 healthy controls. Analysis included the left and right hippocampi, and frontal and temporal lobes. Differences between the groups and correlations with cognitive and clinical characteristics were assessed. Patients with epilepsy scored significantly worse on cognitive tasks compared to healthy controls. Significantly larger CSF fractions in the hippocampi and left temporal lobe, a longer T2 relaxation time in the left hippocampus, and a significantly higher concentration of glutamate/glutamine in the left frontal lobe were observed in patients with epilepsy. Moreover, poor memory performance was significantly correlated with larger CSF fractions in the right hippocampus and left temporal lobe in patients. In the temporal lobe, an association between subtle changes in morphology (indicative of atrophy) and memory performance was found, consistent with previous literature. These results may help to explain the alterations in brain functioning in patients with epilepsy.
AB - For patients with chronic cryptogenic localisation-related epilepsy (CLRE), conventional MRI does not provide measures to discern between patients with or without cognitive complaints. We investigated, in a preliminary study, whether it is possible to detect cerebral biomarkers of cognitive impairment in patients with CLRE using sensitive quantitative MRI techniques. Neuropsychological assessment and quantitative 3.0 T MRI, comprising T2 relaxometry, diffusion tensor imaging, and spectroscopic imaging, were applied to 35 patients with CLRE and 21 healthy controls. Analysis included the left and right hippocampi, and frontal and temporal lobes. Differences between the groups and correlations with cognitive and clinical characteristics were assessed. Patients with epilepsy scored significantly worse on cognitive tasks compared to healthy controls. Significantly larger CSF fractions in the hippocampi and left temporal lobe, a longer T2 relaxation time in the left hippocampus, and a significantly higher concentration of glutamate/glutamine in the left frontal lobe were observed in patients with epilepsy. Moreover, poor memory performance was significantly correlated with larger CSF fractions in the right hippocampus and left temporal lobe in patients. In the temporal lobe, an association between subtle changes in morphology (indicative of atrophy) and memory performance was found, consistent with previous literature. These results may help to explain the alterations in brain functioning in patients with epilepsy.
KW - cognition
KW - diffusion tensor imaging
KW - localization-related epilepsy
KW - memory
KW - MR spectroscopy
KW - MRI-negative
U2 - 10.1684/epd.2014.0665
DO - 10.1684/epd.2014.0665
M3 - Article
C2 - 25036856
SN - 1294-9361
VL - 16
SP - 318
EP - 327
JO - Epileptic Disorders
JF - Epileptic Disorders
IS - 3
ER -