Language and Emotional Function in Patients With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

NCT00081432 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 04015904-N-0159
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine how the brain processes tasks involving language and emotion in normal volunteers and in patients with epilepsy. MRI is a diagnostic and research tool that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to obtain images of body organs and tissues. The MRI scanner is a metal cylinder surrounded by a magnetic field. During the test, the subject lies on a table that can slide in and out of the cylinder. DTI involves taking pictures of the brain while the subject is at rest in order to learn about the structure of the brain. Information gained from this study will help scientists evaluate the organization of language and emotional functions in the brain. Normal volunteers and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy 18 years of age and older who are native English speakers and who will undergo surgery for uncontrolled seizures may be eligible for this study. Candidates are initially screened by telephone, then with physical and neurologic examinations and cognitive testing. The study has two parts, conducted 6 to 12 months apart. Each part consists of the same sets of tests described below, using fMRI and DTI. In patients with epilepsy, Part 1 is scheduled before surgery and Part 2 after surgery.

• fMRI: Subjects are asked to perform two types of tasks while they undergo fMRI. In one task, they are shown pictures of animals and tools and are asked to name them. In a second task, they are shown pictures that range in content from sexually explicit material, to human injury and surgical slides, to pleasant images of children and wildlife and are asked to decide whether they find the pictures pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant.
• DTI: Subjects relax and remain still in the MRI scanner for about 45 minutes.
• Neuropsychological testing: Subjects may be asked to complete questionnaires, take pen-and-paper or computerized tests, and perform motor tasks. Participants may be asked to repeat the MRI studies, but not the neuropsychological tests, up to four times to investigate different brain functions or to confirm findings.

Conditions

Epilepsy; Temporal Lobe

Keywords

Seizures; Language; Memory; Brain; Imaging; Epilepsy; Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Patient Group:
• Temporal lobe epilepsy (right-sided, left-sided foci) with or without lesion on a structural MRI scan.
• Native English speaker.
• Age 18 years or older.
• Signed informed consent.
• Volunteer Group:
• Native English speaker.
• Age 18 years or older.
• Signed informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Patient Group:
• Medical or technical contraindications to MRI procedures (e.g. no braces, pacemakers, cochlear devices, surgical clips, etc;
• History of mental retardation;
• Pregnancy;
• Claustrophobia;
• Inability to comply with the protocol.
• Volunteer Group:
• Medical or technical contraindications to MRI procedures (e.g. no braces, pacemakers, cochlear devices, surgical clips, etc.);
• History of neurologic or psychiatric disease or a learning or attention disorder or mental retardation.
• Pregnancy.
• Claustrophobia.
• Inability to comply with the protocol.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Barnes PD. Imaging of the central nervous system in pediatrics and adolescence. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1992 Aug;39(4):743-76. doi: 10.1016/s0031-3955(16)38374-2.

  PMID: 1635805 BACKGROUND

• Basser PJ, Pajevic S, Pierpaoli C, Duda J, Aldroubi A. In vivo fiber tractography using DT-MRI data. Magn Reson Med. 2000 Oct;44(4):625-32. doi: 10.1002/1522-2594(200010)44:43.0.co;2-o.

  PMID: 11025519 BACKGROUND

• Basser PJ, Pierpaoli C. A simplified method to measure the diffusion tensor from seven MR images. Magn Reson Med. 1998 Jun;39(6):928-34. doi: 10.1002/mrm.1910390610.

  PMID: 9621916 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Epilepsy; Seizures; Language; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Communication; Behavior; Epilepsies, Partial; Epileptic Syndromes

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Sponsor Type: NIH

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 10, 2004
• First Posted: April 12, 2004
• Study Start: April 9, 2004
• Study Completion: April 27, 2010
• Last Updated: July 2, 2017

Record last verified: 2010-04-27

Locations

US (1)