Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
Epilepsy Behav. 2011 Aug;21(4):407-11. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2011.05.018. Epub 2011 Jun 23.
Studies have suggested that the thalamus is a key structure in the pathophysiology of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. The objective of the present investigation was to examine the thalami of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy using a combination of multiple structural neuroimaging modalities. The association between these techniques may reveal the mechanisms underlying juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and help to identify the neuroanatomical structures involved. Twenty-one patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (13 women, mean age=30±9 years) and a control group of 20 healthy individuals (10 women, mean age=31±8 years) underwent MRI in a 2-T scanner. The volumetric three-dimensional sequence was used for structural investigation. Evaluation of the thalamus comprised voxel-based morphometry, automatic volumetry, and shape analysis. Comparisons were performed between patient and control groups. Voxel-based morphometry analysis identified areas of atrophy located in the anterior portion of the thalamus. Post hoc analysis of automatic volumetry did not reveal significant differences between the groups. Shape analysis disclosed differences between patients and controls in the anterior and inferior portions of the right thalamus and in the anterior portion of the left thalamus. The present investigation confirms that thalami of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy are structurally abnormal with impairments located mainly in the anterior and inferior sections.
研究表明，丘脑是青少年肌阵挛性癫痫病理生理学的关键结构。本研究的目的是使用多种结构神经影像学方法检查青少年肌阵挛性癫痫患者的丘脑。这些技术的结合可能揭示青少年肌阵挛性癫痫的发病机制，并有助于确定涉及的神经解剖结构。21 名青少年肌阵挛性癫痫患者（女性 13 名，平均年龄=30±9 岁）和 20 名健康对照者（女性 10 名，平均年龄=31±8 岁）在 2T 扫描仪中进行 MRI。三维容积序列用于结构研究。对丘脑进行体素形态计量学、自动容积测量和形状分析评估。对患者组和对照组进行比较。体素形态计量学分析确定了位于丘脑前部的萎缩区域。自动容积测量的事后分析未显示两组之间存在显著差异。形状分析显示，右侧丘脑前下部和左侧丘脑前下部的患者与对照组之间存在差异。本研究证实，青少年肌阵挛性癫痫患者的丘脑结构异常，损伤主要位于前下部。
