Ipsilateral cortical motor desynchronisation is reduced in Benign Epilepsy with Centro-Temporal Spikes

- On a MEG motor task in children with Benign Epilepsy with Centro-Temporal Spikes (BECTS) we found reduced ipsilateral cortical desynchronisation.
- This reduced ipsilateral cortical desynchronisation was linked to poorer motor skills and more recent seizures.
- Our findings suggest disrupted inter-hemispheric interactions during motor control in BECTS.

ObjectiveMagnetoencephalography (MEG) and a simple motor paradigm were used to study induced sensorimotor responses and their relationship to motor skills in children diagnosed with Benign Epilepsy with Centro-Temporal Spikes (BECTS).MethodsTwenty-one children with BECTS and 15 age-matched controls completed a finger abduction task in MEG; movement-related oscillatory responses were derived and contrasted between groups. A subset of children also completed psycho-behavioural assessments. Regression analyses explored the relationship of MEG responses to manual dexterity performance, and dependence upon clinical characteristics.ResultsIn children with BECTS, manual dexterity was below the population mean (p = .002) and three showed severe impairment. Our main significant finding was of reduced ipsilateral movement related beta desynchrony (MRBDi) in BECTS relative to the control group (p = .03) and predicted by epileptic seizure recency (p = .02), but not age, medication status, or duration of epilepsy. Laterality scores across the entire cohort indicated that less lateralised MRBD predicted better manual dexterity (p = .04).ConclusionsAltered movement-related oscillatory responses in ipsilateral motor cortex were associated with motor skill deficits in children with BECTS. These changes were more marked in those with more recent seizures.SignificanceThese findings may reflect differences in inter-hemispheric interactions during motor control in BECTS.