title: [Diffusion tensor imaging  of the bilateral uncinate fasciculus in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the structural integrity and continuity of the bilateral uncinate fasciculus (UF) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) using magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and evaluate the impact of structural damage of the UF on the executive function of the patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with TLE (14 left, 16 right) and 15 healthy control subjects underwent DTI scanning between January, 2007 and July, 2011, and the left and right UF were analyzed for fractional anisotropy (FA) and fiber mean length.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the control subjects, the average FA was significantly higher in the left than in the right UF (P<0.01). In patients with left TLE, the average FA of the left UF was significantly lower than that of the control subjects (P<0.01), but the FA of the right UF was comparable with that of the control group (P>0.05). In patients with right TLE, the average FA of the left and right UF was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05 and P<0.01). In patients with unilateral TLE, the FA of their bilateral UF was similar. No significant difference was found in the mean length of UF fiber between these 3 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FA is normally higher in the left UF than in the right UF, but inpatients with TLE, the left FA tends to have a lowered UF regardless of which hemisphere is involved, suggesting an early pathology in the microstructure of the left UF. This finding may help in the investigation of possible reasons for executive function damage in TLE patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China. dlm721226@163.com
authors.forename: Limei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diao
authors.forename: Zirong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Donghong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jinou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male