INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 09 Program Schedule 02/16/2024 03:30 pm - 04:45 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 09: Epilepsy \| Oncology \| MS \| Infectious Disease Final Abstract #31 Association of Forebrain Parenchyma Volume with Self-Reported Depression and Anxiety in Epilepsy Presurgical Workup Tess Dishaw, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, United States Kelsey Hewitt, Emory University, Atlanta, United States Adam Dickey, Emory University, Atlanta, United States Ranliang Hu, Emory University, Atlanta, United States Daniel Drane, Emory University, Atlanta, United States Ekaterina Staikova, Emory University, Atlanta, United States David Loring, Emory University, Atlanta, United States Cady Block, Emory University, Atlanta, United States Category: Epilepsy/Seizures Keyword 1: epilepsy / seizure disorders Keyword 2: depression Keyword 3: neuroimaging: structural Objective: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease, and surgery is a common treatment option for persons who do not respond to medication. When surgery is offered, neuropsychology plays an important role in the epilepsy presurgical workup, characterizing the cognitive and behavioral functioning of persons with epilepsy. Emotional functioning is also important to assess, as rates of disorders such as anxiety and depression are higher than in the general population. Prior research has implicated the forebrain plays a major role in these psychiatric conditions. In this cross-sectional design, we sought to examine the predictive relationship between forebrain volume and self-reported anxiety and depression in a sample of persons with epilepsy undergoing presurgical workup. Participants and Methods: A total of 56 clinical patients underwent a presurgical epilepsy workup at a US academic medical center. This included a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with NeuroQuant, a relatively newer software that analyzes clinical neuroimaging to quantify brain volume. Self-reported anxiety and depression scores were taken from two measures that are standard to neuropsychological evaluations and identified as recommended NIH common data elements measures for epilepsy, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI). These, along with NeuroQuant bilateral forebrain parenchymal volume scores (cm3), were analyzed using a series of linear regression analyses. Results: Patients exhibited a range of depression severity levels where majority endorsed minimal depression (n = 26). Other depression severity levels endorsed included mild depression (n = 12), moderate depression (n = 14), and severe depression (n = 9). A significant predictor of BDI raw scores was total left forebrain parenchyma volume (BDI (2, 53)=2.30, p<.04, R²=.28, and 𝛽=-2.07, p<.04). The mean left forebrain parenchyma volume for subjects was 484.34 cm³ and the mean BDI raw score was 18.07 indicating mild levels of depressive symptoms. Total right forebrain parenchyma volume did not predict BDI raw scores. Patients also exhibited a range of anxiety levels where the majority endorsed minimal anxiety (n=22). Other anxiety levels endorsed included mild anxiety (n=8), moderate anxiety (n=16), and severe anxiety (n=10). Total left and total right forebrain parenchyma volume did not predict BAI raw scores where the mean BAI raw score was 15.22 indicating mild to moderate levels of anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: These findings support prior research of the prefrontal cortex's relevance where this study specifically expands upon the significance of depression and the left forebrain parenchyma. Findings continue to stress the importance of gathering emotional functioning in epilepsy presurgical neuropsychological evaluations as well as support inclusion of NeuroQuant volume scores. Future research into the mechanism between left forebrain parenchyma volume and BDI score could help increase cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning in patients with epilepsy.

Poster

02/16/2024
03:30 pm - 04:45 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 09: Epilepsy | Oncology | MS | Infectious Disease

Final Abstract #31

Association of Forebrain Parenchyma Volume with Self-Reported Depression and Anxiety in Epilepsy Presurgical Workup

Tess Dishaw, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, United States
Kelsey Hewitt, Emory University, Atlanta, United States
Adam Dickey, Emory University, Atlanta, United States
Ranliang Hu, Emory University, Atlanta, United States
Daniel Drane, Emory University, Atlanta, United States
Ekaterina Staikova, Emory University, Atlanta, United States
David Loring, Emory University, Atlanta, United States
Cady Block, Emory University, Atlanta, United States

Category: Epilepsy/Seizures

Keyword 1: epilepsy / seizure disorders
Keyword 2: depression
Keyword 3: neuroimaging: structural

Objective:

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease, and surgery is a common treatment option for persons who do not respond to medication. When surgery is offered, neuropsychology plays an important role in the epilepsy presurgical workup, characterizing the cognitive and behavioral functioning of persons with epilepsy. Emotional functioning is also important to assess, as rates of disorders such as anxiety and depression are higher than in the general population. Prior research has implicated the forebrain plays a major role in these psychiatric conditions. In this cross-sectional design, we sought to examine the predictive relationship between forebrain volume and self-reported anxiety and depression in a sample of persons with epilepsy undergoing presurgical workup.

Participants and Methods:

A total of 56 clinical patients underwent a presurgical epilepsy workup at a US academic medical center. This included a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with NeuroQuant, a relatively newer software that analyzes clinical neuroimaging to quantify brain volume. Self-reported anxiety and depression scores were taken from two measures that are standard to neuropsychological evaluations and identified as recommended NIH common data elements measures for epilepsy, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI). These, along with NeuroQuant bilateral forebrain parenchymal volume scores (cm3), were analyzed using a series of linear regression analyses.

Results:

Patients exhibited a range of depression severity levels where majority endorsed minimal depression (n = 26). Other depression severity levels endorsed included mild depression (n = 12), moderate depression (n = 14), and severe depression (n = 9). A significant predictor of BDI raw scores was total left forebrain parenchyma volume (BDI (2, 53)=2.30, p<.04, R²=.28, and 𝛽=-2.07, p<.04). The mean left forebrain parenchyma volume for subjects was 484.34 cm³ and the mean BDI raw score was 18.07 indicating mild levels of depressive symptoms. Total right forebrain parenchyma volume did not predict BDI raw scores. Patients also exhibited a range of anxiety levels where the majority endorsed minimal anxiety (n=22). Other anxiety levels endorsed included mild anxiety (n=8), moderate anxiety (n=16), and severe anxiety (n=10). Total left and total right forebrain parenchyma volume did not predict BAI raw scores where the mean BAI raw score was 15.22 indicating mild to moderate levels of anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions:

These findings support prior research of the prefrontal cortex's relevance where this study specifically expands upon the significance of depression and the left forebrain parenchyma. Findings continue to stress the importance of gathering emotional functioning in epilepsy presurgical neuropsychological evaluations as well as support inclusion of NeuroQuant volume scores. Future research into the mechanism between left forebrain parenchyma volume and BDI score could help increase cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning in patients with epilepsy.