title: Altered FMRI connectivity dynamics in temporal lobe epilepsy might explain seizure semiology.
abstract: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) can be conceptualized as a network disease. The network can be characterized by inter-regional functional connectivity, i.e., blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal correlations between any two regions. However, functional connectivity is not constant over time, thus computing correlation at a given time and then at some later time could give different results (non-stationarity). We hypothesized (1) that non-stationarities can be induced by epilepsy (e.g., interictal epileptic activity) increasing local signal variance and that (2) these transient events contribute to fluctuations in connectivity leading to pathological functioning, i.e., TLE semiology. We analyzed fMRI data from 27 patients with TLE and 22 healthy controls focusing on EEG-confirmed wake epochs only to protect against sleep-induced connectivity changes. Testing hypothesis (1), we identified brain regions where the BOLD signal variance was significantly greater in TLE than in controls: the temporal pole - including the hippocampus. Taking the latter as the seed region and testing hypothesis (2), we calculated the time-varying inter-regional correlation values (dynamic functional connectivity) to other brain regions and found greater connectivity variance in the TLE than the control group mainly in the precuneus, the supplementary and sensorimotor, and the frontal cortices. We conclude that the highest BOLD signal variance in the hippocampi is highly suggestive of a specific epilepsy-related effect. The altered connectivity dynamics in TLE patients might help to explain the hallmark semiological features of dyscognitive seizures including impaired consciousness (precuneus, frontal cortex), sensory disturbance, and motor automatisms (sensorimotor cortices, supplementary motor cortex). Accounting for the non-stationarity and state-dependence of functional connectivity are a prerequisite in the search for potential connectivity-derived biomarkers in TLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main , Frankfurt am Main , Germany ; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel , Kiel , Germany ; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London , London , UK ; The Epilepsy Society , Chalfont St. Peter , UK.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laufs
authors.affiliation: National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London , London , UK ; The Epilepsy Society , Chalfont St. Peter , UK.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodionov
authors.affiliation: National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London , London , UK ; The Epilepsy Society , Chalfont St. Peter , UK.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.affiliation: National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London , London , UK ; The Epilepsy Society , Chalfont St. Peter , UK.
authors.forename: John Sydney
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London , London , UK ; The Epilepsy Society , Chalfont St. Peter , UK.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lemieux
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Brain Imaging Center, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main , Frankfurt am Main , Germany.
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tagliazucchi
keywords: EEG-fMRI; biomarker; functional connectivity; interictal epileptiform discharges; non-stationarity; seizure; semiology; temporal lobe epilepsy