Background

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a form of epilepsy often linked to changes in parts of the brain that control memory and emotion. While many studies suggest that these changes in the brain may worsen over time, we still know little about how these changes develop throughout adulthood in people with TLE.

Research

In this international study, researchers compared brain scans from over 750 people with TLE and nearly 900 so called ‘healthy’ individuals. By looking at changes in brain structure across different ages, they found that people with TLE showed more widespread loss of brain volume and nerve fibre changes than would normally be expected with aging.

Potential Impact

This study highlights that people with TLE exhibit more pronounced and widespread changes in brain tissue across the lifespan, especially in older adults. The results highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of TLE, and they pave the way for future long-term studies to better understand how epilepsy progresses and how to protect brain health in people with epilepsy