title: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the thalamus in patients with typical absence epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate possible neuronal dysfunction of the thalamus in patients suffering from typical absence epilepsy, using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Special attention was paid to levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and creatine (Cr), and to the NAA/Cr ratio.
  
  
  METHODS
  MRS was performed over the right and left thalamus in nine patients suffering from typical absence epilepsy, and in nine sex- and age-matched healthy controls. All patients and controls were examined using a standard MRS-CSI (chemical shift imaging) technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis of the obtained data demonstrated a significantly lower thalamic NAA/Cr ratio in patients with typical absence epilepsy when compared to the healthy controls. Our MRS data showed symmetrical distribution of NAA/Cr ratio in the right and left thalamus within both the patient group and the group of healthy controls. No significant correlation between the patients' thalamic NAA/Cr values and the duration of the epilepsy or seizure frequency was revealed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present MRS data clearly indicate neuronal dysfunction in the thalami of patients with typical absence epilepsy. In agreement with other recent MRS findings in different idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndromes, our results confirm the role of the thalamus as an important structure in the pathogenesis of typical absence epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Brno Epilepsy Centre, Department of Neurology, Masaryk University, St. Anne's University Hospital, Pekarská 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic. dagmar.fojtikova@centrum.cz
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fojtiková
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brázdil
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horký
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mikl
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuba
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krupa
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rektor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine