Alterations Functional Connectivity in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and Their Relationships With Cognitive Function: A...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Epilepsy Research
• Cognitive Neurology

Background:

• Cognitive impairments are a progressive feature of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
• Mechanisms linking recurrent seizures to neuronal circuit modification and cognitive decline in TLE remain unclear.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for managing TLE progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate longitudinal changes in functional connectivity (FC) using fMRI in TLE patients.
• To assess the relationship between these FC alterations and cognitive function over time.
• To identify brain regions involved in cognitive dysfunction progression in TLE.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) and cognitive assessments in 16 TLE patients and 20 normal controls (NCs) over ~3 years.
• Evaluation of executive function, alertness, and orienting functions at baseline and follow-up.
• Analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal FC between brain regions, including DLPFC, IPL, and SFG.

Main Results:

• TLE patients exhibited baseline deficits in executive function, alertness, and prolonged reaction times compared to NCs.
• A decline in orienting function was observed in TLE patients at follow-up.
• Longitudinal analysis revealed decreased FC between the right DLPFC and right SFG in TLE patients, negatively correlating with changes in orienting function.

Conclusions:

• Abnormal connectivity between the DLPFC and SFG is associated with cognitive dysfunction in TLE.
• Longitudinal rs-fMRI can identify brain regions critical to cognitive decline in TLE progression.
• These findings highlight potential imaging biomarkers for monitoring TLE disease progression.