Exploring Variances of White Matter Integrity and the Glymphatic System in Simple Febrile Seizures and Epilepsy

Background: Simple febrile seizures (SFS) and epilepsy are common seizures in childhood. However, the mechanism underlying SFS is uncertain, and the presence of obvious variances in white matter (WM) integrity and glymphatic function between SFS and epilepsy remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the differences in WM integrity and glymphatic function between SFS and epilepsy. Material and Methods: We retrospectively included 26 children with SFS, 33 children with epilepsy, and 28 controls aged 6-60 months who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used to compare the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of WM among the above-mentioned groups. T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) was used to segment the visible Virchow-Robin space (VRS) through a custom-designed automated method. VRS counts and volume were quantified and compared among the SFS, epilepsy, and control groups. Correlations of the VRS metrics and seizure duration and VRS metrics and the time interval between seizure onset and MRI scan were also investigated. Results: In comparison with controls, children with SFS showed no significant changes in fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), or radial diffusivity (RD) in the WM (P > 0.05). Decreased FA, unchanged AD, and increased RD were observed in the epilepsy group in comparison with the SFS and control groups (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, VRS counts were higher in the SFS and epilepsy groups than in the control group (VRS_SFS, 442.42 +/- 74.58, VRS_epilepsy, 629.94 +/- 106.55, VRS_control, 354.14 +/- 106.58; P < 0.001), and similar results were found for VRS volume (VRS_SFS, 6,228.18 +/- 570.74 mm(3), VRS_epilepsy, 9,684.84 +/- 7,292.66mm(3), VRS_control, 4,007.22 +/- 118.86 mm(3); P < 0.001). However, VRS metrics were lower in the SFS group than in the epilepsy group (P < 0.001). In both SFS and epilepsy, VRS metrics positively correlated with seizure duration and negatively correlated with the course after seizure onset. Conclusion: SFS may not be associated with WM microstructural disruption; however, epilepsy is related to WM alterations. Seizures are associated with glymphatic dysfunction in either SFS or epilepsy.

Automated summary

In this study, it was found that children with SFS did not show significant changes in white matter microstructure compared to controls, while the epilepsy group exhibited alterations in white matter. Additionally, dysfunction in the glymphatic system was observed in both SFS and epilepsy, and was positively correlated with seizure duration and negatively correlated with the time interval after seizure onset.