Ipsilateral cortical motor desynchronisation is reduced in Benign Epilepsy with Centro-Temporal Spikes. Issue 2 (February 2016) - Brindley, Lisa M.
Highlights: On a MEG motor task in children with Benign Epilepsy with Centro-Temporal Spikes (BECTS) we found reduced ipsilateral cortical desynchronisation. This reduced ipsilateral cortical desynchronisation was linked to poorer motor skills and more recent seizures. Our findings suggest disrupted inter-hemispheric interactions during motor control in BECTS. Abstract: Objective: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and a simple motor paradigm were used to study induced sensorimotor responses and their relationship to motor skills in children diagnosed with Benign Epilepsy with Centro-Temporal Spikes (BECTS). Methods: Twenty-one children with BECTS and 15 age-matched controls completed a finger abduction task in MEG; movement-related oscillatory responses were derived and contrasted between groups. A subset of children also completed psycho-behavioural assessments. Regression analyses explored the relationship of MEG responses to manual dexterity performance, and dependence upon clinical characteristics. Results: In children with BECTS, manual dexterity was below the population mean ( p = .002) and three showed severe impairment. Our main significant finding was of reduced ipsilateral movement related beta desynchrony (MRBDi) in BECTS relative to the control group ( p = .03) and predicted by epileptic seizure recency ( p = .02), but not age, medication status, or duration of epilepsy. Laterality scores across the entire cohort indicated that less lateralised MRBD predicted better manual dexterity ( p = .04). Conclusions: Altered movement-related oscillatory responses in ipsilateral motor cortex were associated with motor skill deficits in children with BECTS. These changes were more marked in those with more recent seizures. Significance: These findings may reflect differences in inter-hemispheric interactions during motor control in BECTS.