Children with epilepsy and anxiety: Subcortical and cortical differences
Jana E Jones1, Daren C Jackson, Karlee L Chambers
1Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
Epilepsia
|January 13, 2015
Summary
Children with epilepsy and anxiety show enlarged amygdala and thinner prefrontal cortex, suggesting early structural brain changes. These findings may be linked to a family history of anxiety disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Anxiety disorders are common in children with epilepsy.
- Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of anxiety in pediatric epilepsy is crucial for early intervention.
- Previous research implicates specific brain regions in anxiety disorders in the general population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate subcortical and cortical brain structure differences in children with recent-onset epilepsy with and without anxiety.
- To examine familial, clinical, and demographic factors associated with anxiety in pediatric epilepsy.
Main Methods:
- Compared brain MRI scans (subcortical volumes, cortical thickness) of 88 children with epilepsy (25 with anxiety, 63 without) to 49 controls.
- Utilized FreeSurfer for image analysis.
- Analyzed familial history of anxiety disorders.
Main Results:
- Children with epilepsy and anxiety had larger left amygdala volumes compared to controls.
- The Epilepsy with Anxiety group showed thinner cortex in the left medial orbitofrontal, right lateral orbitofrontal, and right frontal pole regions.
- A positive family history of anxiety disorders was more prevalent in the Epilepsy with Anxiety group.
Conclusions:
- Children with recent-onset epilepsy and anxiety exhibit distinct structural brain abnormalities, including amygdala enlargement and prefrontal cortex thinning.
- These neuroanatomical differences suggest shared dysfunctional networks between anxiety disorders and epilepsy.
- Findings are present early in epilepsy and may be associated with genetic predisposition.
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