title: Nodular heterotopia and absence seizures: fMRI evidence that they may be connected.
abstract: In this study we used EEG-fMRI to investigate whether peri-ventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) are connected to the seizure generating network in individuals initially diagnosed with absence seizures (AS) who were later found to have co-existent PNH. We performed event related EEG-fMRI of the patients typical events as well as performing functional connectivity (FC) seeded from the PNH to answer this question. Both subjects demonstrated event related BOLD change in the "core" absence network. Subject 1 also displayed event related BOLD increase in the nodules while FC analysis demonstrated connectivity between the nodules and the thalami and striatum bilaterally. The second subject did not display event related BOLD in the PNH but FC analysis demonstrated strong connections between the PNH and the parietal cortex. This study demonstrates that the peri-ventricular nodules can show connectivity to the absence network in individuals with AS and may be involved in seizure generation.
authors.affiliation: Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3081, Australia; Brain Research Institute, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia; Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia.
authors.forename: Patrick W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Carney
authors.forename: Richard A J
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Masterton
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Graeme D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D020190:Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000473:pathology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D054091:Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Absence seizures; EEG; Functional neuroimaging; Nodular heterotopia; fMRI