Altered intrinsic functional organization of the brain in idiopathic generalized epilepsy

A robust and reproducible anticorrelation ship between the two synchronized low-frequency fluctuation networks of blood oxygen level dependent (i.e. the task positive network and the task negative network), was showed in subjects at the resting state and when performing cognitively demanding tasks. Using the resting-state fMRI, this study explored the antagonism of the two networks between the control group and the patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). Compared with the control group, the patient group revealed a significant decrease in functional connectivity in both networks and an attenuated pattern of antagonism between networks. These findings showed deficits related to epileptic neuropathology or cognitive alteration in the networks. Furthermore, they revealed unevenness and imbalance in the functional interaction between the networks.