title: Hemispheric lateralization of microstructural white matter abnormalities in children with active benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS): a preliminary DTI study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The deficit of white matter is reported to be involved during the disease progression in patients with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS). The aim of this study is to investigate patterns of white matter damage in children with BECTS with left- or right-hemispheric focus by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and its relationship with the cofactors such duration, seizure frequency and handedness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed in twenty-eight children with BECTS and eighteen healthy controls. The data were analyzed using both tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and region of interest (ROI) analyses. Correlations were investigated between the fractional anisotropy (FA) values of the identified altered regions and clinical features such as age, age of onset and seizure frequency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TBSS analysis revealed that white matter impairment in children with rolandic spikes on the ipsilateral hemisphere was much wider. The FA value was significantly lower in the body of the corpus callosum and forceps minor in BECTS patients with spikes on the ipsilateral hemisphere. The seizure frequency correlated positively with the FA values of body of corpus callosum (CC), bilateral cingulate gyrus and left uncinate fasciculi (UA).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The impaired WM integrity in patients with BECTS was greater in patients with spikes on the dominant hemisphere, possibly due to the greater vulnerability of the left hemisphere and excitotoxic effects of seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fenglai
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yingying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiajia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qiyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, SiChuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: zhoudong66@yahoo.de.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes; Diffusion tensor imaging; Excitotoxic effects of seizures; Hemispheric vulnerability; TBSS; White matter abnormality