A resting⁃state fMRI study on degree centrality of benign epilepsy of childhood with centro⁃temporal spikes

Abstract

Objective To investigate the functional connectivity changes of benign epilepsy of childhood with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) by using degree centrality (DC) analysis. Methods Choose 27 children diagnosed as BECTS from January 2010 to December 2017 as object of observation and 27 age/ sex⁃matched normal children as control. All subjects were performed fMRI in resting state. DC analysis was used to characterize the connectome patterns of whole⁃brain functional networks. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between DC values of brain regions that differed between BECTS and normal children and the behavioral factors, including Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) intelligence quotient (IQ) and Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA⁃CPT). Results Compared with normal children, BECTS children exhibited higher DC valuesinthe right superior frontal gyrus and right posterior cingulate gyrus, and lower DC values in the bilateral cerebellar posterior lobes, subcortical mass in bilateral corpus striatum and/or thalami and right superior frontal gyrus. The higher DC value in the right posterior cingulate gyrus showed significant negative correlations with RSPM IQ score(r=⁃0.597, P=0.001) and full scale attention quotient score(r=⁃0.400, P=0.039). The RSPM IQ score showed significant positive correlations with the lower DC values in left cerebellar posterior lobe (r=0.442, P =0.021) and right corpus striatum/thalamus (r=0.452, P =0.018). Conclusions BECTS is associated with functional abnormalities in thalamic⁃cortical networks. DC analysis could provide a brand⁃new method for exploring the neurobiological mechanisms of epileptic discharges in BECTS.

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2019.07.008