Assessment of tractography, T2 relaxometry and hippocampal volumetry and its relationship to seizure control and memory impairment in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy underwent surgical treatment

• Grant number: 11/20694-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Cendes
• Grantee: Daniela Alves Fernandes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

MTLE has great clinically important given the high prevalence, high proportion of patients with refractory seizures and association to cognitive dysfunction. The epilepsy surgery is an effective method of treatment and control crises more than 70% of cases, but the memory can be affected. DTI is an MRI technique that evaluates the integrity and orientation of white matter. Diffusion abnormalities appear to associate with changes in memory functions, suggesting a correlation between the output cognitive and neuronal changes. The T2 relaxometry is a sensitive and reliable technique to identify abnormalities in brain structures, through changes in signal intensity in pathologic brain tissue. This project aims to conduct a prospective study of a series of patients with MTLE underwent epilepsy surgery, comparing pre and post-surgical MR images (VBM, DTI and T2) and neuropsychological assessment data. This study is important for the high rate of indication for surgery. The data will be obtained through the clinical research with each patient and the image data by means of specific software. The follow up of surgical outcomes are classified as seizure control and neuropsychological evaluation. The image data will be tabulated according to mean value, standard deviation, maximum and minimum; will be used Friedman ANOVA or 2-Way ANOVA, Pearson or Spearman correlation according to the characteristics of variables; Z statistic, TBSS and if necessary the post hoc Tukey test. We intend this study to assess patterns of change in the connectivity and structural changes in white matter that may help you better understand the pathophysiology of MTLE and help define surgical outcome regarding seizure control and cognitive sequelae. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

FERNANDES, Daniela Alves. Tractography assessment, T2 relaxometry and hippocampal volume and its relation to the control of seizures and memory impairment in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy underwent surgical treatment. 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Ciências Médicas Campinas, SP.