Personality traits related to juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: MRI reveals prefrontal abnormalities through a voxel-based morphometry study.
Studies involving juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) patients have demonstrated an elevated prevalence of cluster B personality disorders (PD) characterized as emotional instability, immaturity, unsteadiness, lack of discipline, and rapid mood changes. We aimed to verify a possible correlation between structural brain abnormalities in magnetic resonance image (MRI) and the PD in JME using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Sixteen JME patients with cluster B PD, 38 JME patients without psychiatric disorders, and 30 healthy controls were submitted to a psychiatric evaluation through SCID I and II and to a MRI scan. Significant reduction in thalami and increase in mesiofrontal and frontobasal regions' volumes were observed mainly in JME patients with PD. Structural alterations of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), involved in regulation of mood reactivity, impulsivity, and social behavior, were also observed. This study supports the hypothesis of frontobasal involvement in the pathophysiology of cluster B PD related to JME.
de Araújo Filho
Gerardo Maria
GM
Department of Neurology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo/UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil. filho.gerardo@gmail.com
Jackowski
Andrea Parolin
AP
Lin
Katia
K
Guaranha
Mirian S B
MS
Guilhoto
Laura M F F
LM
da Silva
Henrique Hattori
HH
Caboclo
Luís Otávio Sales Ferreira
LO
Júnior
Henrique Carrete
HC
Bressan
Rodrigo Affonseca
RA
Yacubian
Elza Márcia T
EM
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D020190:Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D010551:Personality; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult