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Abstract #1971

Increased Folding Complexity of the Left Temporal Pole in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Natalie L. Voets1,2, Boris C. Bernhardt2, Hosung Kim2, Andrea Bernasconi2

1University of Oxford FMRIB Centre, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom; 2Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, NeuroImaging of Epilepsy Laboratory and McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada


Converging histological and radiological data suggest neurodevelopmental abnormalities may play a role in the pathogenesis of drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Using surface-based cortical curvature measures, we identified abnormally increased cortical folding in the left temporal pole of patients with both left and right TLE as compared to healthy controls. Increased left temporopolar folding was associated with abnormal positioning of the ipsilateral hippocampus in left TLE patients, and associated with unfavourable surgical outcome in patients with a right-sided seizure focus. These results suggest abnormalities in global limbic network connectivity may play an important role in temporal lobe epileptogenesis.