Regional atrophy of the basal ganglia and thalamus in idiopathic generalized epilepsy

PURPOSE: To determine the regional changes in the shapes of subcortical structures in idiopathic generalized epilepsy using a vertex-based analysis method. Earlier studies found that gray matter volume in the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes is significantly altered in idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). Research has indicated that a relationship exists between the brain's subcortical structures and epilepsy. However, little is known about possible changes in the subcortical structures in IGE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study aims to determine the changes in the shape of subcortical structures in IGE using vertex analysis. Fourteen male patients with IGE and 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in this study, which used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. We performed a vertex-based shape analysis, in which we compared patients with IGE with the controls, on the subcortical structures that we had obtained from the MRI data. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed significant regional atrophy in the left thalamus, left putamen and bilateral globus pallidus in patients with IGE. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that regional atrophy of the basal ganglia and the thalamus may be related to seizure disorder. In the future, these findings may prove useful for choosing new therapeutic regimens.