Volumetric and microstructural changes in the Hippocampus and cingulum in children with west syndrome

We aimed to investigate structural changes in the hippocampus using automated segmentation techniques to evaluate the anatomy and function of the hippocampus in patients with West syndrome (WS).

The study included 48 participants (24 with WS and 24 healthy controls) aged 0-4 years. Automated segmentation methods were used to measure hippocampal volume and evaluate diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters such as fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). Bonferroni correction was applied for multiple comparisons, setting the adjusted significance threshold at p < 0.0033.

Children with WS exhibited significantly reduced total hippocampal volume and diminished volumes in the CA2-CA3, CA4-dentate gyrus (CA4-DG), and SR-SL-SM regions compared to healthy controls (padj <0.0033). After correction, no significant differences were found in the CA1 and subiculum regions (padj >0.0033). Although initial comparisons between ongoing WS and seizure-controlled WS suggested increased volumes in several hippocampal regions in the seizure-controlled group, these differences did not remain significant after adjustment and must be interpreted with caution. Notably, patients with seizure-controlled WS displayed larger hippocampal volumes, higher FA, and lower MD values, indicating a possible link between seizure activity and structural alterations. Additionally, DTI analysis of the cingulum revealed lower FA and higher MD values in WS patients, suggesting compromised microstructural integrity.

These findings emphasize the potential role of hippocampal alterations in the pathophysiology of WS and suggest that DTI parameters may serve as useful measures for monitoring disease progression and treatment response.