Open AccessDecreased functional connectivity within a language subnetwork in benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes
Author(s) -
McGinnity Colm J.,
Smith Anna B.,
Yaakub Siti N.,
Weidenbach Gerbase Sofia,
Gammerman Anya,
Tyson Adam L.,
Bell Tiffany K.,
Elmasri Marwa,
Barker Gareth J.,
Richardson Mark P.,
Pal Deb K.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
epilepsia open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.247
H-Index - 16
ISSN - 2470-9239
DOI - 10.1002/epi4.12051
Subject(s) - rolandic epilepsy , audiology , psychology , epilepsy , neuroscience , superior temporal gyrus , functional magnetic resonance imaging , connectome , functional connectivity , medicine
Summary Objective Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes ( BECTS , also known as Rolandic epilepsy) is a common epilepsy syndrome that is associated with literacy and language impairments. The neural mechanisms of the syndrome are not known. The primary objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that functional connectivity within the language network is decreased in children with BECTS . We also tested the hypothesis that siblings of children with BECTS have similar abnormalities. Methods Echo planar magnetic resonance ( MR ) imaging data were acquired from 25 children with BECTS , 12 siblings, and 20 healthy controls, at rest. After preprocessing with particular attention to intrascan motion, the mean signal was extracted from each of 90 regions of interest. Sparse, undirected graphs were constructed from adjacency matrices consisting of Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Global and nodal graph metrics and subnetwork and pairwise connectivity were compared between groups. Results There were no significant differences in graph metrics between groups. Children with BECTS had decreased functional connectivity relative to controls within a four‐node subnetwork, which consisted of the left inferior frontal gyrus, the left superior frontal gyrus, the left supramarginal gyrus, and the right inferior parietal lobe (p = 0.04). A similar but nonsignificant decrease was also observed for the siblings. The BECTS groups had significant increases in connectivity within a five‐node, five‐edge frontal subnetwork. Significance The results provide further evidence of decreased functional connectivity between key mediators of speech processing, language, and reading in children with BECTS . We hypothesize that these decreases reflect delayed lateralization of the language network and contribute to specific cognitive impairments.