TY - JOUR
T1 - The organization of functional neurocognitive networks in focal epilepsy correlates with domain-specific cognitive performance
AU - Hatlestad-Hall, Christoffer
AU - Bruña, Ricardo
AU - Erichsen, Aksel
AU - Andersson, Vebjørn
AU - Syvertsen, Marte Roa
AU - Skogan, Annette Holth
AU - Renvall, Hanna
AU - Marra, Camillo
AU - Maestú, Fernando
AU - Heuser, Kjell
AU - Taubøll, Erik
AU - Solbakk, Anne Kristin
AU - Haraldsen, Ira H.
N1 - Funding Information:
This project is funded by the South‐Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, project number 2016033, and is in partnership with the Centre for Digital Life Norway, supported by the Research Council of Norway's grant 248810.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Neuroscience Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - Understanding and diagnosing cognitive impairment in epilepsy remains a prominent challenge. New etiological models suggest that cognitive difficulties might not be directly linked to seizure activity, but are rather a manifestation of a broader brain pathology. Consequently, treating seizures is not sufficient to alleviate cognitive symptoms, highlighting the need for novel diagnostic tools. Here, we investigated whether the organization of three intrinsic, resting-state functional connectivity networks was correlated with domain-specific cognitive test performance. Using individualized EEG source reconstruction and graph theory, we examined the association between network small worldness and cognitive test performance in 23 patients with focal epilepsy and 17 healthy controls, who underwent a series of standardized pencil-and-paper and digital cognitive tests. We observed that the specific networks robustly correlated with test performance in distinct cognitive domains. Specifically, correlations were evident between the default mode network and memory in patients, the central-executive network and executive functioning in controls, and the salience network and social cognition in both groups. Interestingly, the correlations were evident in both groups, but in different domains, suggesting an alteration in these functional neurocognitive networks in focal epilepsy. The present findings highlight the potential clinical relevance of functional brain network dysfunction in cognitive impairment.
AB - Understanding and diagnosing cognitive impairment in epilepsy remains a prominent challenge. New etiological models suggest that cognitive difficulties might not be directly linked to seizure activity, but are rather a manifestation of a broader brain pathology. Consequently, treating seizures is not sufficient to alleviate cognitive symptoms, highlighting the need for novel diagnostic tools. Here, we investigated whether the organization of three intrinsic, resting-state functional connectivity networks was correlated with domain-specific cognitive test performance. Using individualized EEG source reconstruction and graph theory, we examined the association between network small worldness and cognitive test performance in 23 patients with focal epilepsy and 17 healthy controls, who underwent a series of standardized pencil-and-paper and digital cognitive tests. We observed that the specific networks robustly correlated with test performance in distinct cognitive domains. Specifically, correlations were evident between the default mode network and memory in patients, the central-executive network and executive functioning in controls, and the salience network and social cognition in both groups. Interestingly, the correlations were evident in both groups, but in different domains, suggesting an alteration in these functional neurocognitive networks in focal epilepsy. The present findings highlight the potential clinical relevance of functional brain network dysfunction in cognitive impairment.
KW - cognitive impairment
KW - focal epilepsy
KW - functional connectivity
KW - graph theory
KW - neurocognitive networks
KW - RRID:SCR_002510
KW - RRID:SCR_003550
KW - RRID:SCR_004841
KW - RRID:SCR_004849
KW - RRID:SCR_007037
KW - RRID:SCR_007292
KW - RRID:SCR_013202
KW - source EEG
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108812690&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/jnr.24896
DO - 10.1002/jnr.24896
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85108812690
SN - 0360-4012
VL - 99
SP - 2669
EP - 2687
JO - Journal of Neuroscience Research
JF - Journal of Neuroscience Research
IS - 10
ER -