[(1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy on bilateral thalamus of patients with secondarily generalized tonic-clonic...

To examine the changes of metabolites in the bilateral thalamus of patients with secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizure (SGTCS) and to explore the mechanism of SGTCS.

Thirty patients with SGTCS (epilepsy group) and 30 matched healthy controls (control group) were examined by 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). The levels of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline-containing compounds (Cho), creatine phosphocreatine (Cr-PCr), and myo-inositol (mI) of the bilateral thalamus were measured in both the epilepsy group and the control group. The ratios of NAA/Cr-PCr, NAA/(Cr-PCr+Cho), Cho/Cr-PCr and mI/Cr-PCr were compared and analyzed in the 2 groups.

The ratios of NAA/Cr-PCr, and NAA/(Cr-PCr+Cho)(1.7074 ± 0.2214; 0.9333 ± 0.2173) in the left thalamus in the epilepsy group were significantly lower than those in the control group(1.8834 ±0.2093; 1.1243 ±0.2447)(P<0.05). The ratios of NAA/Cr-PCr, and NAA/(Cr- PCr+Cho) (1.7472 ±0.2439; 0.9165 ±0.2462) in the right thalamus in the epilepsy group were also significantly lower than those in the control group(1.8925 ± 0.2004; 1.0941 ± 0.2372)(P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the ratios of NAA/Cr-PCr, NAA/(Cr-PCr+Cho), Cho/Cr- PCr, and mI/Cr-PCr between the bilateral thalamis in the epilepsy group (P>0.05).

There is neuronal dysfunction in the bilateral thalamus in the epilepsy group. Abnormal changes of the bilateral thalamus are involved in the mechanism of SGTCS.