Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Study of Memory in Children
Summary
Memory is a cognitive function whose development is still poorly documented in children, but which is often disturbed in temporal epilepsy. There are no studies about the disorders of episodic memory. The investigations using functional MRI (fMRI) are scarce, they do not involve this field and none are dedicated to children. The objectives of this project are to study the neuronal networks involved in episodic memory in normal children, as well as the disorders of episodic memory in children with epilepsy and the mechanisms of cognitive and cerebral reorganization in epilepsy.
Description
Twenty children aged from 6 to 18 years with temporal and/or frontal epilepsy and 20 normal children in the same age range will undergo the following examinations in a unique day in the Unit Hospital F. JOLIOT(CEA in ORSAY, France):
1. complete neuropsychological evaluation including episodic memory,
2. structural MRI to quantify, using VBM, the potential abnormalities of the anatomical structures, to perform cognitive-morphological correlations, and to localize the neuronal networks activated on fMRI,
3. functional MRI using an original task of episodic memory, specifically dedicated to children and being under behavioural validation laboratory.
The analysis of fMRI data will be performed using SPM and taking into account the existence of epilepsy or not, of cerebral lesion or not, age, handedness, the side and location of epileptogenic focus, the age of seizure onset, and the type of antiepileptic treatment.
This study has been approved by the Ethic Committee in september 2004 (CCPPRB BICETRE, promotion of ASSISTANCE PUBLIQUE – HOPITAUX de PARIS).
Study Design
Additional Descriptors: Convenience Sample, Observational Model: Natural History, Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional, Time Perspective: Prospective
Conditions
Childhood Epilepsy
Intervention
Study of memory using MRI
Location
Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot (SHFJ)
Orsay
France
91400
Status
Recruiting
Source
Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
Results (where available)
Links
- Source: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00242905
- Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on July 15, 2010
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Epilepsy, Absence
A childhood seizure disorder characterized by rhythmic electrical brain discharges of generalized onset. Clinical features include a sudden cessation of ongoing activity usually without loss of postural tone. Rhythmic blinking of the eyelids or lip smacking frequently accompanies the SEIZURES. The usual duration is 5-10 seconds, and multiple episodes may occur daily. Juvenile absence epilepsy is characterized by the juvenile onset of absence seizures and an increased incidence of myoclonus and tonic-clonic seizures. (Menkes, Textbook of Child Neurology, 5th ed, p736)
Memory
Complex mental function having four distinct phases: (1) memorizing or learning, (2) retention, (3) recall, and (4) recognition. Clinically, it is usually subdivided into immediate, recent, and remote memory.
Myoclonic Epilepsy, Juvenile
A disorder characterized by the onset of myoclonus in adolescence, a marked increase in the incidence of absence seizures (see EPILEPSY, ABSENCE), and generalized major motor seizures (see EPILEPSY, TONIC-CLONIC). The myoclonic episodes tend to occur shortly after awakening. Seizures tend to be aggravated by sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. Hereditary and sporadic forms have been identified. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p323)
Memory, Short-term
Temporary storage of information for a few seconds to hours, as opposed to long-term memory which refers to material stored for days, years, or a lifetime.
Epilepsy
A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to a sudden, disorderly, and excessive neuronal discharge. Epilepsy classification systems are generally based upon: (1) clinical features of the seizure episodes (e.g., motor seizure), (2) etiology (e.g., post-traumatic), (3) anatomic site of seizure origin (e.g., frontal lobe seizure), (4) tendency to spread to other structures in the brain, and (5) temporal patterns (e.g., nocturnal epilepsy). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p313)
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