In vivo study of the connections between hippocampus, amygdala and other temporal lobe structures in patients with mesial temporal lobe Epilepsy

• Grant number: 14/20317-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2015
• End date: July 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Cendes
• Grantee: Mariela Guimaraes de Queiros
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The connection pathways between hippocampus and amygdala and between hippocampus and other brain regions in humans are not well established yet. We know, for example, through neurophysiologic studies that there is seizure propagation from hippocampus to amygdala and vice-versa in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy; however, the pathways of this propagation are not clear. The study of in vivo connectivity using high resolution DTI offers a unique opportunity to evaluate these questions. Objective: To compare and analyze the afferent and efferent fibers from and to hippocampus and nearby structures in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and normal controls using DTI MRI analyses with DTIstudio or DTIexplore programs. Subjects and Methods: This is an original pilot descriptive study of the in vivo connections between hippocampus and amygdala and other cortical regions. We will evaluate initially 3 controls and 3 patients with unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. This study of in vivo structural connectivity will use high resolution DTI in a 3T MRI scanner with a 32 channels head coil. We hope to isolate fibers and tracts that provide communication between hippocampus and other mesial temporal and neocortical structures which may be helpful to better understand mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.