Functional brain network mechanism of executive control dysfunction in temporal lobe epilepsy

BACKGROUND: Executive control dysfunction is observed in a sizable number of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Neural oscillations in the theta band are increasingly recognized as having a crucial role in executive control network. The purpose of this study was to investigate the alterations in the theta band in executive control network and explore the functional brain network mechanisms of executive control dysfunction in TLE patients. METHODS: A total of 20 TLE patients and 20 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited in the present study. All participants were trained to perform the executive control task by attention network test while the scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) data were recorded. The resting state signals were collected from the EEG in the subjects with quiet and closed eyes conditions. Functional connectivity among EEGs in the executive control network and resting state network were respectively calculated. RESULTS: We found the significant executive control impairment in the TLE group. Compared to the HCs, the TLE group showed significantly weaker functional connectivity among EEGs in the executive control network. Moreover, in the TLE group, we found that the functional connectivity was significantly positively correlated with accuracy and negatively correlated with EC_effect. In addition, the functional connectivity of the executive control network was significantly higher than that of the resting state network in the HCs. In the TLE group, however, there was no significant change in functional connectivity strengths between the executive control network and resting state network. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the decreased functional connectivity in theta band may provide a potential mechanism for executive control deficits in TLE patients.