Hippocampal metabolic dysfunction in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: 3D multivoxel spectroscopy study

Purpose: To investigate the metabolic differences in hippocampi of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and healthy controls using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Methods: A 3D multivoxel SE 135 MRS study on 1.5 T scanner of both hippocampi was performed in 17 patients with JME and normal brain MRI and in 19 age and sex matched controls. Three dominant signals were measured: Choline (Cho), Creatine (tCr) and N-Acetylaspartate (NAA) and expressed as ratios of Cho:tCr, NAA:tCr, NAA:Cho and NAA:(Cho + tCr). Metabolite ratios in head, body and tail of each hippocampus in the JME group of patients were compared with ratios from corresponding structures in the control group. Results: We found a significant difference in metabolite ratios of both hippocampi between the JME and the control groups. We detected significant differences of Cho:tCr in the head, NAA:tCr in the head, body and tail. NAA:Cho and NAA:(Cho + tCr) in the body and tail of the left hippocampus, and NAA:Cho and NAA:(Cho + tCr) in the body and tail of the right hippocampus. Discussion: Although not previously recognized as a part of the epileptogenic network, our results suggest that the hippocampus, well recognized as a key player in focal epilepsies, may have a certain role in the pathogenesis of JME. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.