Hippocampal metabolic dysfunction in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: 3D multivoxel spectroscopy study

• Published in: Journal of the neurological sciences 2011-06, Vol.305 (1), p.139-142
• Main Authors: RISTIC, Aleksandar J, OSTOJIC, Jelena, KOZIC, Dusko, VOJVODIC, Nikola M, POPOVIC, Ljubica M, JANKOVIC, Slavko, BASCAREVIC, Vladimir, SOKIC, Dragoslav V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aspartic Acid - analogs & derivatives; Aspartic Acid - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - metabolism; Choline - metabolism; Creatine - metabolism; Female; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Hippocampus; Hippocampus - metabolism; Hippocampus - physiopathology; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; JME; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile - diagnosis; Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile - metabolism; Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile - physiopathology; Nerve Net - metabolism; Nerve Net - physiopathology; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-510X; 1878-5883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2010.12.022

Abstract Purpose To investigate the metabolic differences in hippocampi of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and healthy controls using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Methods A 3D multivoxel SE 135 MRS study on 1.5 T scanner of both hippocampi was performed in 17 patients with JME and normal brain MRI and in 19 age and sex matched controls. Three dominant signals were measured: Choline (Cho), Creatine (tCr) and N-Acetylaspartate (NAA) and expressed as ratios of Cho:tCr, NAA:tCr, NAA:Cho and NAA:(Cho + tCr). Metabolite ratios in head, body and tail of each hippocampus in the JME group of patients were compared with ratios from corresponding structures in the control group. Results We found a significant difference in metabolite ratios of both hippocampi between the JME and the control groups. We detected significant differences of Cho:tCr in the head, NAA:tCr in the head, body and tail, NAA:Cho and NAA:(Cho + tCr) in the body and tail of the left hippocampus, and NAA:Cho and NAA:(Cho + tCr) in the body and tail of the right hippocampus. Discussion Although not previously recognized as a part of the epileptogenic network, our results suggest that the hippocampus, well recognized as a key player in focal epilepsies , may have a certain role in the pathogenesis of JME.