Zhu Ling, Li Yibo, Wang Yifeng, Li Rong, Zhang Zhiqiang, Lu Guangming, Chen Huafu
Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, PR China.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2016 Jun;95(24):e3893. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000003893.
Studies in generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) have reported both structural and functional alterations in the brain. However, changes in spontaneous neuronal functional organization in GTCS remain largely unknown.In this study, 70 patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy characterized by tonic-clonic seizures and 70 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited. Here, functional connectivity density (FCD) mapping, an ultrafast data-driven method based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), was applied for the first time to investigate the changes of spontaneous functional brain activity caused by epilepsy.The results showed significantly decreased long-range FCD in the middle and inferior temporal, prefrontal, and inferior parietal cortices as well as increased long-range FCD in the cerebellum anterior lobe and sensorimotor areas. Negative correlation between duration of disease and reduced long-range FCD was found. In addition, most regions with reduced long-range FCD showed decreased resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) within default mode network.Negative correlation between duration of disease and long-range FCD may reflect an adverse consequence eventually from original. Furthermore, the observed FCD and rsFC alterations have been speculated to be associated with the social-cognitive impairments as well as motor control. Our study provided novel evidences to look into neuro-pathophysiological mechanisms underlying GTCS.
针对全身性强直阵挛性发作（GTCS）的研究报告了大脑中的结构和功能改变。然而，GTCS中自发神经元功能组织的变化在很大程度上仍不清楚。在本研究中，招募了70例以强直阵挛性发作为特征的特发性全身性癫痫患者以及70名年龄和性别匹配的健康对照者。在此，首次应用功能连接密度（FCD）图谱，这是一种基于功能磁共振成像（fMRI）的超快速数据驱动方法，来研究癫痫引起的自发性脑功能活动变化。结果显示，颞中、颞下、前额叶和顶下皮质的远距离FCD显著降低，而小脑前叶和感觉运动区的远距离FCD增加。发现病程与远距离FCD降低之间存在负相关。此外，大多数远距离FCD降低的区域在默认模式网络内的静息态功能连接（rsFC）也降低。病程与远距离FCD之间的负相关可能最终反映了原发因素的不良后果。此外，观察到的FCD和rsFC改变被推测与社会认知障碍以及运动控制有关。我们的研究为探究GTCS潜在的神经病理生理机制提供了新证据。
