Abstract #2347

Altered Integrity & Asymmetry of Association White Matter Tracts in Epilepsy with Mesial Temporal Sclerosis: Preliminary Results using Diffusion Spectrum Imaging

Y-C. Shih¹, H-H. Liou², K-C. Chu³, P-Y. Chen⁴, W-M. Huang⁵, F-H. Lin¹, W-Y. I. Tseng^6,7

¹Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; ²Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; ³Graduate Institute of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; ⁴Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; ⁵Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; ⁶Center for Optoelectronic Biomedicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; ⁷Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

In this study we investigated three association fibers including superior fronto-occipital fasciculus, cingulum bundles (CG) and uncinate fasciculus using diffusion spectrum imaging, and characterized the alteration in these association fibers in seven patients with left mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) compared to controls. The patients showed increased structural connectivity in all association fibers except the inferior portion of the left CG. Furthermore, the CG changed its asymmetry from leftward to rightward. Our results suggest that the integrity of left CG ipsilateral to mTLE is affected directly. The increased structural connectivity in other tracts implies a mechanism of white matter plasticity.