Chen, Yachin, Fallon, Nicholas 
ORCID: 0000-0003-1451-6983, Kreilkamp, Barbara AK, Denby, Christine, Bracewell, Martyn, Das, Kumar, Pegg, Emily, Mohanraj, Rajiv, Marson, Anthony G ORCID: 0000-0002-6861-8806 and Keller, Simon S ORCID: 0000-0001-5247-9795
(2021)
Probabilistic mapping of thalamic nuclei and thalamocortical functional connectivity in idiopathic generalised epilepsy
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, 42 (17).
pp. 5648-5664.
ISSN 1065-9471, 1097-0193
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Chen-Keller-2021-HBM.pdf - Published version Download (3MB) | Preview |
Abstract
It is well established that abnormal thalamocortical systems play an important role in the generation and maintenance of primary generalised seizures. However, it is currently unknown which thalamic nuclei and how nuclear-specific thalamocortical functional connectivity are differentially impacted in patients with medically refractory and non-refractory idiopathic generalised epilepsy (IGE). In the present study, we performed structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with refractory and non-refractory IGE, segmented the thalamus into constituent nuclear regions using a probabilistic MRI segmentation method and determined thalamocortical functional connectivity using seed-to-voxel connectivity analyses. We report significant volume reduction of the left and right anterior thalamic nuclei only in patients with refractory IGE. Compared to healthy controls, patients with refractory and non-refractory IGE had significant alterations of functional connectivity between the centromedian nucleus and cortex, but only patients with refractory IGE had altered cortical connectivity with the ventral lateral nuclear group. Patients with refractory IGE had significantly increased functional connectivity between the left and right ventral lateral posterior nuclei and cortical regions compared to patients with non-refractory IGE. Cortical effects were predominantly located in the frontal lobe. Atrophy of the anterior thalamic nuclei and resting-state functional hyperconnectivity between ventral lateral nuclei and cerebral cortex may be imaging markers of pharmacoresistance in patients with IGE. These structural and functional abnormalities fit well with the known importance of thalamocortical systems in the generation and maintenance of primary generalised seizures, and the increasing recognition of the importance of limbic pathways in IGE.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| Uncontrolled Keywords: | epilepsy, functional MRI, pharmacoresistance, thalamus |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Systems, Molec & Integrative Biology > Inst. Systems, Molec & Integrative Biology |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Aug 2021 07:34 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Jun 2026 09:24 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/hbm.25644 |
| Related Websites: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3134738 |
| Disclaimer: | The University of Liverpool is not responsible for content contained on other websites from links within repository metadata. Please contact us if you notice anything that appears incorrect or inappropriate. |
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