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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
Network Analysis of the Default Mode Network Using Functional Connectivity MRI in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Published on: August 5, 2014
Aberrant individual structure covariance network in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy
Yuda Huang1, Ningrui Wang1,2, Wei Li1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Objective:
Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) is a complex neurological disorder that has been recognized as a widespread global network disorder. The group-level structural covariance network (SCN) could reveal the structural connectivity disruption of the mTLE but could not reflect the heterogeneity at the individual level.
Methods:
This study adopted a recently proposed individual structural covariance network (IDSCN) method to clarify the alternated structural covariance connection mode in mTLE and to associate IDSCN features with the clinical manifestations and regional brain atrophy.
Results:
We found significant IDSCN abnormalities in the ipsilesional hippocampus, ipsilesional precentral gyrus, bilateral caudate, and putamen in mTLE patients than in healthy controls. Moreover, the IDSCNs of these areas were positively correlated with the gray matter atrophy rate. Finally, we identified several connectivities with weak associations with disease duration, frequency, and surgery outcome.
Significance:
Our research highlights the role of hippo-thalamic-basal-cortical circuits in the pathophysiologic process of disrupted whole-brain morphological covariance networks in mTLE, and builds a bridge between brain-wide covariance network changes and regional brain atrophy.
Insights
Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) disrupts brain networks. Individual structural covariance networks reveal abnormalities in mTLE, linking them to brain atrophy and disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) is a complex neurological disorder.
- It is increasingly recognized as a global network disorder affecting brain structure.
- Current group-level analyses of structural covariance networks (SCNs) cannot capture individual patient heterogeneity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply the individual structural covariance network (IDSCN) method to mTLE.
- To identify altered structural covariance connections in mTLE patients.
- To correlate IDSCN features with clinical manifestations and regional brain atrophy.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a novel individual structural covariance network (IDSCN) approach.
- Compared IDSCNs between mTLE patients and healthy controls.
- Correlated IDSCN findings with gray matter atrophy rates, disease duration, seizure frequency, and surgical outcomes.
Main Results:
- Identified significant IDSCN abnormalities in the ipsilesional hippocampus, precentral gyrus, bilateral caudate, and putamen in mTLE patients.
- Observed a positive correlation between IDSCN alterations and the rate of gray matter atrophy.
- Found weak associations between specific connectivities and disease duration, seizure frequency, and surgery outcome.
Conclusions:
- Highlights the involvement of hippocampo-basal-cortical circuits in mTLE pathophysiology.
- Demonstrates the utility of IDSCN in characterizing brain-wide morphological covariance network disruptions.
- Establishes a link between network-level changes and regional brain atrophy in mTLE.
