Brain structural changes and molecular analyses in children with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pediatric Neurology
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is a common childhood epilepsy.
• Behavioral problems and cognitive impairments frequently accompany BECTS.
• Previous studies on BECTS brain structures yielded inconsistent findings using univariate analysis, with unclear neurotransmitter associations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate brain structural alterations in drug-naïve children with BECTS using a multivariate approach.
• To explore the relationship between gray matter volume (GMV) changes and neurotransmitter systems in BECTS.
• To provide a clearer understanding of the neurobiological and molecular mechanisms underlying BECTS.

Main Methods:

• Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 21 drug-naïve children with BECTS and 35 healthy controls (HCs).
• Source-based morphometry (SBM) was used to decompose segmented gray matter volume (GMV) images into independent components (ICs).
• Spatial correlation analyses examined relationships between GMV changes, seizure frequency, and neurotransmitter systems.

Main Results:

• Drug-naïve children with BECTS exhibited increased GMV in IC7 (including precentral gyrus, supplementary motor area, frontal cortex, and cingulate cortex) compared to HCs.
• A positive correlation was found between GMV in IC6 and seizure frequency.
• Abnormal GMV in IC7 significantly correlated with serotonergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic systems.

Conclusions:

• The study provides evidence of altered GMV in drug-naïve children with BECTS, linked to behavioral and cognitive impairments.
• Neurotransmitter systems, including serotonergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic, are associated with these structural brain changes.
• These findings enhance the understanding of the neurobiological and molecular mechanisms of BECTS.