Alterations in the default mode network in rolandic epilepsy with mild spike-wave index in non-rapid eye movement sleep

Brain structural changes and molecular analyses in children with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

BACKGROUND

Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is a common childhood epilepsy syndrome, accompanied by behavioral problems and cognitive impairments. Previous studies of BECTS-related brain structures applied univariate analysis and showed inconsistent results. And neurotransmitter patterns associated with brain structural alterations were still unclear.

METHODS

Structural images of twenty-one drug-naïve children with BECTS and thirty-five healthy controls (HCs) were scanned. Segmented gray matter volume (GMV) images were decomposed into independent components (ICs) using the source-based morphometry method. Then spatial correlation analyses were applied to examine possible relationships between GMV changes and neurotransmitter systems.

RESULTS

Compared with HCs, drug-naïve children with BECTS showed increased volume in one GMV component (IC7), including bilateral precentral gyrus, bilateral supplementary motor area, left superior frontal cortex, bilateral middle/ inferior frontal cortex and bilateral anterior/ middle cingulate cortex. A positive correlation was observed between one GMV component (IC6) and seizure frequency. There were significantly positive correlations between abnormal GMV in IC7 and serotonergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic systems.

CONCLUSION

These findings provided further evidence of changed GMV in drug-naïve children with BECTS related to their behavioral problems and cognitive impairments, and associated neurotransmitters which could help to better understand neurobiological mechanisms and underlying molecular mechanisms of BECTS.

IMPACT

The article provides further evidence of changed gray matter volume in drug-naïve children with BECTS related to their behavioral problems and cognitive impairments as well as associated neurotransmitters. Most literature to date has applied univariate analysis and showed inconsistent results, and neurotransmitter patterns associated with brain structural alterations were still unclear. Therefore, this article uses multivariate method and JuSpace toolbox to fill the gap. Significantly increased gray matter volume was found in drug-naïve children with BECTS compared with healthy controls. Abnormal gray matter volume was significantly correlated with clinical data and specific neurotransmitters.

Alternations of neuromagnetic activity across neurocognitive core networks among benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes: A multi-frequency MEG study

Objective

We aimed to investigate the alternations of neuromagnetic activity across neurocognitive core networks among early untreated children having benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS).

Methods

We recorded the Magnetoencephalography (MEG) resting-state data from 48 untreated children having BECTS and 24 healthy children. The fourth edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) was utilized to divide the children with BECTS into two groups: the cognitive impairment (CI) group with a full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) of < 90 and the cognitive non-impairment (CNI) group with an FSIQ of > 90. We selected 26 bilateral cognitive-related regions of interest based on the triple network model. The neurocognitive core network spectral power was estimated using a minimum norm estimate (MNE).

Results

In the CNI group, the spectral power inside the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the bilateral caudal middle frontal cortex (CMF) enhanced within the delta band and reduced within the alpha band. Both the CI and the CNI group demonstrated enhanced spectral power inside the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), bilateral precuneus (PCu) region, bilateral superior and middle temporal cortex, bilateral inferior parietal lobe (IPL), and bilateral supramarginal cortex (SM) region in the delta band. Moreover, there was decreased spectral power in the alpha band. In addition, there were consistent changes in the high-frequency spectrum (> 90 Hz). The spectral power density within the insula cortex (IC), superior temporal cortex (ST), middle temporal cortex (MT), and parahippocampal cortex (PaH) also decreased. Therefore, studying high-frequency activity could lead to a new understanding of the pathogenesis of BECTS.

Conclusion

The alternations of spectral power among neurocognitive core networks could account for CI among early untreated children having BECTS. The dynamic properties of spectral power in different frequency bands could behave as biomarkers for diagnosing new BECTS.