Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging study of correlation between executive function impairment and uncinate fasciculus in left temporal lobe epilepsy

Objective To study the executive function changes and its relationship with the diffusion tensor imaging(DTI) parameters of bilateral uncinate fasciculus(UF) of the patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE) using neuropsychological test and DTI.Methodsfourteen adult patients with left TLE and 15 healthy controls were enrolled.All of the patients and controls underwent executive function tests including stroop color-word test,digit span,digit symbol,trail making test and verbal fluency.All the subjects underwent brain DTI scans.Results The stroop error number[(7.20± 3.60) vs.(1.60±0.60)] were higher(P0.05) whereas digit span[(12.30±6.20) vs.(17.60±2.10)],digit symbol[(50.33±16.10) vs.(66.04±10.12)] and verbal fluency[(12.05±5.36) vs.(19.33±2.55)] were lower in patients than in the controls(P0.05).The time of stroop and trail making test was longer in patients than in controls(P0.05).The FA values of the left UF were significantly lower in patients than in controls(P0.001).Correlation analysis showed that the FA values of the left UF of the patients were positively correlated with the verbal fluency(r=0.56,P=0.025) and digit span(r=0.58,P=0.028).Conclusions(1).The patients with left TLE have extensive impairment of executive function..(2).There is a correlation between executive function impairment and left UF damage.(3).The left UF damage might be part of the pathophysiological basis of executive function impairment.