Decreased functional connectivity within a language subnetwork in benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Epilepsy Research

Background:

• Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS), or Rolandic epilepsy, is a common childhood epilepsy syndrome.
• BECTS is frequently associated with literacy and language impairments, but its underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the hypothesis of decreased functional connectivity within the language network in children with BECTS.
• To examine whether siblings of children with BECTS exhibit similar functional connectivity abnormalities.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state echo planar magnetic resonance imaging (MR) data were collected from children with BECTS, their siblings, and healthy controls.
• Functional connectivity was analyzed using graph theory metrics derived from MR imaging data, focusing on regional signal correlations.

Main Results:

• Children with BECTS demonstrated significantly decreased functional connectivity in a specific language subnetwork (left inferior frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, left supramarginal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobe).
• A similar, non-significant trend of decreased connectivity was observed in siblings.
• Increased connectivity within a frontal subnetwork was noted in the BECTS group.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the hypothesis of reduced functional connectivity in key language processing areas in children with BECTS.
• These connectivity deficits may underlie the observed language and literacy impairments, possibly due to delayed language network lateralization.