MRI-Negative Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: A Study of Brain Structure in Adults Using Surface-Based Morphological Features

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Epileptology
• Morphometry

Background:

• Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a common neurological disorder.
• MRI-negative TLE (TLE-N) presents diagnostic challenges.
• Understanding TLE-N's neuroimaging mechanisms is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate cortical morphological transformations in TLE-N patients.
• Identify neuroimaging markers associated with TLE-N.
• Utilize surface-based morphometry (SBM) for detailed cortical analysis.

Main Methods:

• Compared 29 TLE-N patients with 30 healthy controls.
• Analyzed 3D T1-weighted MRI scans using SBM.
• Measured cortical thickness, surface area, volume, curvature, and sulcal depth.

Main Results:

• TLE-N patients showed increased insular cortex thickness bilaterally.
• Reduced piriform cortex curvature and insular granular complex in the right hemisphere.
• Decreased left hemisphere volume in secondary sensory cortex (OP1/SII) and V3A.

Conclusions:

• Subtle cortical morphological changes are present in TLE-N.
• SBM effectively identifies brain regions affected by epilepsy.
• Cerebral cortex microstructural insights aid understanding of TLE pathophysiology.