Morphological abnormalities of limbic lobe structures in partial temporal lobe epilepsy

PURPOSE: To evaluate lesions of the different structures of the Papez circuit in association with hippocampal sclerosis. MATERIAL: and methods. 13 patients (32.1+/-8.2 y.o.) suffering from partial, temporal lobe, drug-resistant epilepsy and 20 normal volunteers (31.8+/-7.7 y.o.) were evaluated by MRI on a 1.5 T scanner (Philips): axial T1w 3D Gradient Echo acquisitions, thickness: 1.5mm. Hippocampus and cingulate gyrus volume were calculated after semi-automated segmentation of intrasulcal gray matter using the "Surgiscope Scopeplan" Elekta((R)). The thickness of the posterior column of the fornix and the thickness of the mamillary bodies were also measured. RESULTS: We found 10 cases of ipsolateral hippocampal sclerosis, 6 cases of ipsolateral atrophy of the mamillary body and 4 cases of ipsolateral atrophy of the fornix. We did not find any atrophy of the cingulate gyrus. CONCLUSION: Hippocampal sclerosis can be associated with lesions of limbic lobe structures (fornix and mamillary body), excluding the cingulate gyrus.