Preliminary observations of metabolic characterization of bilateral temporal epileptic focus, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Three cases.
The authors report the case of 3 patients with bilateral temporal lobe epilepsy demonstrated by EEG and sphenoïdal electrodes. Two out of the 3 patients presented with childhood febrile convulsions. Their neurological and mental examination was normal. EEG showed spikes within the anterior part of the 2 temporal lobes. CT scan and MRI showed no atrophic lesion within the 2 temporal lobes. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, performed within a cube of 8 cube-centimetres localized in the anterior part of the 2 temporal lobes showed a significant decrease of N-acetyl-aspartate in the 2 temporal lobes of the 3 cases, compared with controls matched with age, sex and laterality. Because N-acetyl-aspartate is a marker of the neuronal cells, the decreased level of NAA in the temporal area with spikes, may be related to a decreased number of neuronal cells, developing an abnormal tendency to seizures.
Giroud
M
M
Service of Neurology, Resonance Magnetic Imaging Unit and Service of Neuro-radiology, University Hospital, Dijon, France.
Walker
P
P
Bernard
D
D
Fayolle
H
H
Beaurain
J
J
Baudoin
N
N
Brunotte
F
F
Dumas
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline