EEG Resting State Functional Connectivity Analysis in Children with Benign Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes

In this study, we investigated changes in functional connectivity (FC) of the brain networks in patients with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) compared to healthy controls using high-density EEG data collected under eyes-closed resting state condition. EEG source reconstruction was performed with exact Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (eLORETA). We investigated FC between 84 Brodmann areas using lagged phase synchronization (LPS) in four frequency bands (δ, θ, α, and β). We further computed the network degree, clustering coefficient and efficiency. Compared to controls, patients displayed higher θ and α and lower β LPS values. In these frequency bands, patients were also characterized by less well ordered brain networks exhibiting higher global degrees and efficiencies and lower clustering coefficients. In the β band, patients exhibited reduced functional segregation and integration due to loss of both local and long-distance functional connections. These findings suggest that benign epileptic brain networks might be functionally disrupted due to their altered functional organization especially in the α and β frequency bands.