Investigation of Patients With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Using Quantitative Electroencephalography and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Abstract

Aim: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common focal epilepsy in adulthood. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is an MRI technique used to measure regional variations in neurochemistry and display the concentrations of various brain metabolites in preset regions of interest in the brain. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the correlation of qEEG abnormalities and MRS findings in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Material and Methods: Power spectrum analyses of each multi-channel EEG were performed in all patients with the concomitant MRS measures of Choline (Cho), total Creatine (Cr), N-acetyl aspartate (Naa) concentrations, and ratios of Cho/Cr, Naa/Cr, and Naa/Cho. Results: Mean qEEG band powers of anterior alfa, anterior beta, central alfa, central beta, posterior alfa, and posterior beta in the right temporal area was significantly larger in patients whose Naa/Cho+Cr ratio was lower than 0.71 compared to patients whose Naa/Cho+Cr ratio was equal and larger than 0.71. In addition, correlation analyses between Naa/Cho+Cr, Naa/Cho+Cr, and Naa/Cho ratios and qEEG band power values showed low-medium correlations. Discussion: A relationship detected between the biochemical changes of the epileptogenic focus due to neuronal dysfunction and the QEEG data may help prove the presence of the focal point.