Reduced Language Connectivity in Pediatric Epilepsy

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Epilepsia
• Personal Author:
  Leigh N., Sepeta ; Louise J., Croft ; Lauren A., Zimmaro ; Elizabeth S., Duke ; Virginia K., Terwilliger ; Benjamin E., Yerys ; Xiaozhen., You ; Chandan J., Vaidya ; William D., Gaillard ; Madison M., Berl
• Description:
  Objective
  
  Functional connectivity (FC) among language regions is decreased in adults with epilepsy compared to controls, but less is known about FC in children with epilepsy. We sought to determine if language FC is reduced in pediatric epilepsy, and examined clinical factors that associate with language FC in this population.
  
  Methods
  
  We assessed FC during an age-adjusted language task in children with left-hemisphere focal epilepsy (n=19) compared to controls (n=19). Time series data were extracted for three left ROIs and their right homologues: inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and Wernicke's area (WA) using SPM8. Associations between FC and factors such as cognitive performance, language dominance, and epilepsy duration were assessed.
  
  Results
  
  Children with epilepsy showed decreased interhemispheric connectivity compared to controls, particularly between core left language regions (IFG, WA) and their right hemisphere homologues, as well as decreased intrahemispheric right frontal FC. Increased intrahemispheric FC between left IFG and left WA was a positive predictor of language skills overall, and naming ability in particular. FC of language areas was not affected by language dominance, as the effects remained when only examining study participants with left language dominance. Overall FC did not differ according to duration of epilepsy or age of onset.
  
  Significance
  
  FC during a language task is reduced in children, similar to findings in adults. In specific, children with left focal epilepsy demonstrated decreased interhemispheric FC in temporal and frontal language connections and decreased intrahemispheric right frontal FC. These differences were present near the onset of epilepsy. Greater FC between left language centers is related to better language ability. Our results highlight that connectivity of language areas has a developmental pattern and is related to cognitive ability.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Brain Mapping Child Child, Preschool Epilepsy Female Frontal Lobe Functional Laterality Humans Image Processing, Computer-Assisted Infant Language Language Tests Magnetic Resonance Imaging Male Temporal Lobe

  More +
• Keywords:
  Functional Neuroimaging Neuropsychological Assessment Seizures
• Source:
  Epilepsia. 56(2):273-282
• Pubmed ID:
  25516399
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4340750
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  U01 DP003255/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHSUnited States/ ; T32 HD046388/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; P30 HD040677/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; K23 MH086111/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01 MH084961/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01MH084961/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01 NS044280/NS/NINDS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; 1P30HD40677-01/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R21 MH092615/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; 1UO1DP003255/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHSUnited States/ ; K23 NS065121/NS/NINDS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; 5K23NS065121-01A2/NS/NINDS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; 5K23MH086111/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; MH084961/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; 2K12NS052159-06A1/NS/NINDS NIH HHSUnited States/ ; 1R21MH092615/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; 5T32HD046388-08/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; M01 RR020359/RR/NCRR NIH HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  56
• Issue:
  2
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:0afeed06e3d8dbe071979f2166e25ad8f9222251b6011d762a3caf55077e193a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/30304/cdc_30304_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 386.61 KB ]