T. Salmenpera et al., MRI volumetry of the hippocampus, amygdala, entorhinal cortex, and perirhinal cortex after status epilepticus, EPILEPSY R, 40(2-3), 2000, pp. 155-170
Neuronal damage has been observed in the medial temporal lobe of both human
s and animals following status epilepticus. The aim of the present study wa
s to investigate the occurrence of medial temporal lobe damage in status ep
ilepticus patients treated in hospital with a predetermined protocol and to
assess whether the changes progress in a long-term follow-up. The volumes
of the hippocampus, amygdala, entorhinal and perirhinal cortices were measu
red using magnetic resonance imaging (MRT) in nine adult patients with stat
us epilepticus 3 weeks, 6 and 12 months after the insult. The control group
included 20 healthy subjects. The etiology of status epilepticus was an ac
ute process in one patient and a chronic process in right cases. The mean d
uration of secondarily generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus episodes
was 1 h and 44 min. Volumetric MRI indicated that none of the patients dev
eloped marked volume reduction in the hippocampus, amygdala, ol the entorhi
nal and perirhinal cortices during the I-year follow-up period. Status epil
epticus does not invariably lead to a progressive volume reduction in the m
edial temporal lobe structures of adult patients treated promptly in hospit
al with a predetermined protocol for rapid cessation of seizure activity. (
C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.