Electroencephalogram microstate analysis in temporal lobe epilepsy: A comparative study with and without anxiety

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Epileptology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Anxiety is a common comorbidity in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
• Limited research exists on the dynamic brain characteristics of TLE with anxiety.
• This study investigates EEG microstate dynamics in TLE patients with and without anxiety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine abnormal resting-state EEG microstate dynamics in TLE patients with anxiety disorders.
• To compare these dynamics with TLE patients without anxiety disorders and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Ninety participants: 30 healthy controls, 30 TLE with anxiety (PAS), 30 TLE without anxiety (nPAS).
• 21-channel EEG used for resting-state microstate analysis.
• Compared microstate duration, frequency, time coverage, and transition probabilities.

Main Results:

• PAS patients showed reduced occurrence and time coverage of microstate B (visual network) compared to nPAS.
• PAS patients exhibited altered microstate transitions (e.g., C to A, C/D to B).
• These changes indicate heightened alertness, impaired attention-visual function, and reduced attention network stability.

Conclusions:

• Anxiety in TLE is linked to heightened alertness, impaired attention-visual integration, and dorsal attention network instability.
• Anxiety significantly impacts brain network remodeling and cognitive control in TLE.
• EEG microstate dynamics may serve as a biomarker for psychiatric complications in epilepsy.