• 1. Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China;
  • 2. School of Life Science and Technology School of Mathematics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610051, P. R. China;
  • 3. Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China;
ZHOUDong, Email: zhoudong66@yahoo.de
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Objective To reveal impairments in the perceptual networks in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) with epilepsy by functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI). Methods The fcMRI-based independent component analysis (ICA) was used to measure the resting state functional connectivity in nine TSC patients with epilepsy recruited from June 2010 to June 2012 and perceptual networks including the sensorimotor network (SMN), visual network (VN), and auditory network (AN) were investigated. The correlation between Z values in regions of interest (ROIs) and age of seizure onset or duration of epilepsy were analyzed. Results Compared with the controls, the TSC patients with epilepsy presented decreased functional connectivity in primary visual cortex within the VN networks and there were no increased connectivity. Increased connectivity in left middle temporal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus was found and decreased connectivity was detected in right inferior frontal gyrus within AN networks. Decreased connectivity was detected at the right inferior frontal gyrus and the increase in connectivity was found in right thalamus within SMN netwoks. No significant correlations were found between Z values in ROIs including the primary visual cortex within the VN, right thalamus and inferior frontal gyrus within SMN, left temporal lobe and right inferior frontal gyrus within AN and the duration of the disease or the age of onset. Conclusion Fhere is altered (both increased and decreased) functional connectivity in the perceptual networks of TSC patients with epilepsy. The decreased functional connectivity may reflect the dysfunction of correlative perceptual networks in TSC patients, and the increased functional connectivity may indicate the compensatory mechanism or reorganization of cortical networks. Our fcMRI study may contribute to the understanding of neuropathophysiological mechanisms underlying perceptual impairments in TSC patients with epilepsy.

Citation: YANGTian-hua, YANBo, LUOCheng, RENJie-chuan, GONGQi-yong, YAODe-zhong, ZHOUDong. Altered Perceptual Networks in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Patients with Epilepsy Revealed by Resting Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. West China Medical Journal, 2014, 29(8): 1402-1406. doi: 10.7507/1002-0179.20140431 Copy

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