Somatosensory evoked magnetic fields in hemimegalencephaly

Neurol Res. 2002 Jul;24(5):459-62. doi: 10.1179/016164102101200339.

Abstract

Somatosensory maps were determined in three patients with hemimegalencephaly using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). MRIs were characterized by thickened gray matter with clearly aberrant lamination patterns. Somatosensory Evoked Fields (SEFs), as measured by MEG, were absent from the affected hemisphere in the two patients with severe cortical lamination defects. The third patient presented with relatively preserved cortical lamination in the frontal lobe and clear cortical SEFs in this region, indicating somatotopical reorganization. These findings suggest that the presence and location of MEG-derived somatosensory maps reflect the severity of the cortical lamination defects in hemimegalencephaly.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological / physiology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / physiology*
  • Functional Laterality / physiology
  • Humans
  • Hypertrophy / pathology
  • Hypertrophy / physiopathology*
  • Infant
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Magnetoencephalography / standards
  • Magnetoencephalography / trends*
  • Nervous System Malformations / pathology
  • Nervous System Malformations / physiopathology*
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology
  • Physical Stimulation
  • Somatosensory Cortex / pathology
  • Somatosensory Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Touch / physiology