Functional MRI in double cortex: Functionality of heterotopia

A 12-year-old boy with epilepsy and subcortical laminar heterotopia (band h eterotopia) underwent a functional MRI protocol to study voluntary motor ac tivity in the hand. Finger tapping produced an activation of a contralatera l limited and focused frontal cortical area both in the subcortical band he terotopia and the overlying cortex. Despite its epileptogenic activity, sub cortical laminar heterotopia seems to be responsible for part of the functi onal activity of the brain. This has to be pointed out for epilepsy surgery resecting cortical dysplasia.