Functional Network Connectivity Imprint in Febrile Seizures
Abstract Complex febrile seizures (CFS), a subset of paediatric febrile seizures (FS), have been studied for their prognosis, epileptogenic potential and neurocognitive outcome. We evaluated their functional connectivity differences with simple febrile seizures (SFS) in children with recent onset FS. Resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) datasets of 24 children with recently diagnosed FS (SFS-n=11; CFS-n=13) were analysed. Functional connectivity (FC) was estimated using time series correlation of seed region–to-whole-brain-voxels. Regional connectivity differences were correlated with clinical characteristics (corrected p < 0.05). CFS patients demonstrated increased FC of the bilateral middle temporal gyri (MTG), left supplementary cortex when compared to SFS. Decreased FC of the primary sensory areas and Default mode network regions were observed in the CFS. Number of recurrent febrile seizures positively correlated with FC of bilateral MTG and negatively correlated with left Supplementary Motor. Duration of longest febrile seizure correlated positively with connectivity of right MTG and left supplementary motor cortex. It also negatively correlated with connectivity of bilateral post central gyrus and Precuneus. Our findings report altered connectivity in CFS proportional to the seizure recurrence and duration. Regardless of the causal/consequential nature, such observations demonstrate the imprint of these disease-defining variables of febrile seizures on the developing brain.