Microdysgenesis in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: a clinicopathological study

The interrelationship of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), hippocampal sclerosis, and febrile convulsions still remains an enigma. Additional microscopical cortical dysplasia or microdysgenesis has been suggested as pre-existent susceptibility factor rendering the affected brain vulnerable to the development of MTLE after initial precipitating injuries such as febrile convulsions. Twenty-four MTLE cases with histopathologically definite hippocampal sclerosis were examined for clearly defined features of microdysgenesis and further signs of neocortical dysplasia. Although unequivocal signs of dysplasia were absent, 29.2% of cases showed cortical neuronal clustering, 25.0% showed perivascular clustering, and 20.8% showed increased white matter neurons. The features of microdysgenesis studied here were not linked with each other and were not related to initial precipitating injuries, positive family history, or any other clinical parameter. Their suggested fundamental role as dysplastic factor within development of hippocampal sclerosis and MTLE is not confirmed.