Neuromorphometric associations with mood, cognition, and self-reported exercise levels in epilepsy and healthy individuals

Ayushe A Sharma; D Mackensie Terry; Johanna L Popp; Jerzy P Szaflarski; Roy C Martin; Rodolphe Nenert; Manmeet Kaur; Gabrielle A Brokamp; Mark Bolding; Jane B Allendorfer

doi:10.1016/j.ebr.2023.100643

Neuromorphometric associations with mood, cognition, and self-reported exercise levels in epilepsy and healthy individuals

Epilepsy Behav Rep. 2023 Dec 30:25:100643. doi: 10.1016/j.ebr.2023.100643. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Ayushe A Sharma¹, D Mackensie Terry¹, Johanna L Popp¹, Jerzy P Szaflarski^{1

2

3

4}, Roy C Martin^{1

4}, Rodolphe Nenert¹, Manmeet Kaur^{1

4}, Gabrielle A Brokamp¹, Mark Bolding⁵, Jane B Allendorfer^{1

2

4

6}

Affiliations

¹ University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Department of Neurology, Birmingham, AL, USA.
² University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Department of Neurobiology, Birmingham, AL, USA.
³ University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Department of Neurosurgery, Birmingham, AL, USA.
⁴ University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), UAB Epilepsy Center, Birmingham, AL, USA.
⁵ University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Department of Radiology, Birmingham, AL, USA.
⁶ University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), UAB Center for Exercise Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA.

Abstract

Regular physical activity may promote beneficial neuroplasticity, e.g., increased hippocampus volume. However, it is unclear whether self-reported physical exercise in leisure (PEL) levels are associated with the brain structure features demonstrated by exercise interventions. This pilot study investigated the relationship between PEL, mood, cognition, and neuromorphometry in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGEs) compared to healthy controls (HCs). Seventeen IGEs and 19 age- and sex-matched HCs underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T. The Baecke Questionnaire of Habitual Physical Activity, Profile of Mood States, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) assessed PEL, mood, and cognition, respectively. Structural MRI data were analyzed by voxel- and surface-based morphometry. IGEs had significantly lower PEL (p < 0.001), poorer mood (p = 0.029), and lower MoCA scores (p = 0.027) than HCs. These group differences were associated with reduced volume, decreased gyrification, and altered surface topology (IGEs < HCs) in frontal, temporal and cerebellar regions involved in executive function, memory retrieval, and emotional regulation, respectively. These preliminary results support the notion that increased PEL may promote neuroplasticity in IGEs, thus emphasizing the role of physical activity in promoting brain health in people with epilepsy.

Keywords: Cognition; Exercise levels; Grey matter volume; Hippocampus; Idiopathic generalized epilepsy; Mood.

Abstract

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