Isolated febrile seizures are not associated with structural abnormalities of the limbic system

Abstract

The nature of the relationship between childhood febrile seizures (CFSs) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to perform a comprehensive analysis of measures of structural changes of the hippocampus and limbic white matter to determine whether structural abnormalities previously demonstrated in TLE were present in adults with isolated CFS. Twenty-three adults with past CFS but no history of nonfebrile seizures and 21 controls underwent research MRI for measurement of volume, T2 and mean diffusivity of the hippocampus and fractional anisotropy of the fornix and cingulum. No significant group differences were found in any of the measured parameters. These findings suggest that structural abnormalities of the hippocampus and limbic white matter that have been demonstrated in TLE are not associated with isolated CFS.