Histological correlates of hippocampal magnetization transfer images in drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy patients

• Published in: NeuroImage clinical 2020-01, Vol.28, p.102463-102463, Article 102463
• Main Authors: Peixoto-Santos, Jose Eduardo, Velasco, Tonicarlo R., Carlotti, Carlos Gilberto, Assirati, Joao Alberto, Rezende, Gustavo Henrique de Souza e, Kobow, Katja, Coras, Roland, Blümcke, Ingmar, Salmon, Carlos Ernesto Garrido, Santos, Antonio Carlos dos, Leite, Joao Pereira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Extracellular matrix; Hippocampal sclerosis; Magnetization transfer ratio; Neuron density; Regular; Temporal lobe epilepsy
• ISSN: 2213-1582; 2213-1582
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102463

•Hippocampal MTR in TLE does not add to volume or T2 signal regarding lateralization.•Extracellular CSPG are the most relevant correlate to MTR in hippocampal sclerosis.•Increased CSPG counterbalances neuron loss over the reduction in hippocampal MTR. Temporal lobe epilepsy patients (TLE) often present with hippocampal atrophy, increased T2 relaxation, and reduced magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in magnetic resonance images (MRI). The histological correlates of the reduced hippocampal MTR are so far unknown. Since MTR is dependent on the tissue’s macromolecules, our aim was to evaluate the correlations between cellular populations, extracellular matrix molecules and the MTR in TLE patients. Patients with TLE (n = 26) and voluntaries (=20) were scanned in a 3 Tesla MRI scanner, and MTR images were calculated from 3DT1 sequences with magnetization pulse on resonance. Immunohistochemistry for neurons, reactive astrocytes, activated microglia, and extracellular matrix chondroitin sulfate were performed in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissues of TLE and autopsy controls (n = 10). Results were considered significant with adjusted p