Altered white matter structural network in self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Epilepsy Research

Background:

• White matter (WM) structural network changes are implicated in epileptic disorders, but remain poorly understood in self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS).
• Investigating these network alterations is crucial for understanding SeLECTS pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore structural network alterations in children with SeLECTS.
• To analyze the relationship between these structural networks and clinical disease status.

Main Methods:

• Employed graph-theoretic methods on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from 32 children with SeLECTS and 32 typically developing (TD) controls.
• Utilized non-parametric tests with false discovery rate (FDR) correction for intergroup comparisons and correlation analyses with clinical variables.
• Trained a support vector machine (SVM) classifier using network metrics to differentiate patients from controls.

Main Results:

• Children with SeLECTS exhibited significantly reduced global network efficiency and increased shortest path length compared to controls.
• Nodal efficiency was decreased in specific brain regions, including the left precentral gyrus and left superior temporal gyrus (STG.L).
• Reduced nodal efficiency in STG.L correlated negatively with seizure duration and positively with intelligence quotients (IQs).

Conclusions:

• SeLECTS is associated with topological changes in WM structural networks, linked to epilepsy duration and neuropsychological scores.
• WM structural networks show potential for aiding clinical classification in children with SeLECTS.
• The left superior temporal gyrus (STG.L) may serve as a key area for monitoring disease progression.