PURPOSE: This study compared frontotemporal brain volumes in children with childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) to age- and gender-matched children without epilepsy. It also examined the association of these volumes with seizure, demographic, perinatal, intelligence quotient (IQ), and psychopathology variables. METHODS: Twenty-six children with CAE, aged 7.5-11.8 years, and 37 children without epilepsy underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at 1.5 Tesla. Tissue was segmented, and total brain, frontal lobe, frontal parcellations, and temporal lobe volumes were computed. All children had IQ testing and structured psychiatric interviews. Parents provided seizure, perinatal, and behavioral information on each child. RESULTS: The CAE group had significantly smaller gray matter volumes of the left orbital frontal gyrus as well as both left and right temporal lobes compared to the age- and gender-matched children without epilepsy. In the CAE group these volumes were related to age, gender, ethnicity, and pregnancy complications but not to seizure, IQ, and psychopathology variables. In the group of children without epilepsy, however, the volumes were related to IQ. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that CAE impacts brain development in regions implicated in behavior, cognition, and language. In addition to supporting the cortical focus theory of CAE, these findings also imply that CAE is not a benign disorder.
PURPOSE: This study compared frontotemporal brain volumes in children with childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) to age- and gender-matched children without epilepsy. It also examined the association of these volumes with seizure, demographic, perinatal, intelligence quotient (IQ), and psychopathology variables. METHODS: Twenty-six children with CAE, aged 7.5-11.8 years, and 37 children without epilepsy underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at 1.5 Tesla. Tissue was segmented, and total brain, frontal lobe, frontal parcellations, and temporal lobe volumes were computed. All children had IQ testing and structured psychiatric interviews. Parents provided seizure, perinatal, and behavioral information on each child. RESULTS: The CAE group had significantly smaller gray matter volumes of the left orbital frontal gyrus as well as both left and right temporal lobes compared to the age- and gender-matched children without epilepsy. In the CAE group these volumes were related to age, gender, ethnicity, and pregnancy complications but not to seizure, IQ, and psychopathology variables. In the group of children without epilepsy, however, the volumes were related to IQ. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that CAE impacts brain development in regions implicated in behavior, cognition, and language. In addition to supporting the cortical focus theory of CAE, these findings also imply that CAE is not a benign disorder.
Authors: D G Corrêa; N Ventura; N Zimmermann; T M Doring; G Tukamoto; J Leme; M Pereira; I D'Andrea; C Rêgo; S V Alves-Leon; E L Gasparetto Journal: Neuroradiology Date: 2017-01-12 Impact factor: 2.804
Authors: Andrew Etchell; Aditi Adhikari; Lauren S Weinberg; Ai Leen Choo; Emily O Garnett; Ho Ming Chow; Soo-Eun Chang Journal: Neuropsychologia Date: 2018-04-11 Impact factor: 3.139
Authors: Megan L McGill; Orrin Devinsky; Clare Kelly; Michael Milham; F Xavier Castellanos; Brian T Quinn; Jonathan DuBois; Jonathan R Young; Chad Carlson; Jacqueline French; Ruben Kuzniecky; Eric Halgren; Thomas Thesen Journal: Epilepsy Behav Date: 2012-02-29 Impact factor: 2.937
Authors: Bruce P Hermann; Kevin Dabbs; Tara Becker; Jana E Jones; Adan Myers y Gutierrez; Gary Wendt; Monica A Koehn; Raj Sheth; Michael Seidenberg Journal: Epilepsia Date: 2010-10 Impact factor: 5.864
Authors: Daren C Jackson; Kevin Dabbs; Natalie M Walker; Jana E Jones; David A Hsu; Carl E Stafstrom; Michael Seidenberg; Bruce P Hermann Journal: J Pediatr Date: 2012-12-05 Impact factor: 4.406