Functional Connectivity MRI and Post-Operative Language Performance in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Initial Experience. Issue 2 (April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pravatà, Emanuele; Sestieri, Carlo; Colicchio, Gabriella; Colosimo, Cesare; Romani, Gian Luca; Caulo, Massimo
• Is Part Of: Neuroradiology journal. Volume 27:Issue 2(2014)
• Page Start: 158
• Page End: 162
• Publication Date: 2014-04
• Subjects: epilepsy -- temporal lobe -- functional neuroimaging -- magnetic resonance imaging -- language; Nervous system -- Radiography -- Periodicals; Neuroradiography -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.804757
• DOI: 10.15274/NRJ-2014-10031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1971-4009

Abstract

Anterior temporal lobectomy is an effective treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy of temporal origin, although new language impairment may develop after surgery. Since correlations between functional connectivity (FC) MRI of the language network and verbal-IQ performance before surgery have recently been reported, we investigated the existence of correlations between the preoperative FC of the language network and post-operative verbal-IQ decline. FC between nodes of the language network of the two hemispheres (Interhemispheric-FC) and within nodes of the left hemisphere (LH-FC) and language lateralization indexes were estimated in five right-handed patients with non-tumoral left temporal lobe epilepsy undergoing anterior temporal lobectomy. Correlations between preoperative FC measures and lateralization indexes, and the post-operative (12 months) neuropsychological verbal-IQ decline were investigated. Verbal-IQ decline was inversely correlated with the degree of left lateralization and directly correlated with the strength of Interhemispheric-FC. No significant correlation was found between LH-FC and post-operative verbal-IQ change. The results from this limited number of patients suggest that a stronger preoperative connectivity between homologue regions, associated with the absence of a definite hemispheric lateralization, appears to be an unfavorable prognostic biomarker.