Pillai SH, et al. – The clinicians performed this work to compare juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) patients with and without frontal executive dysfunction (FED) by group analysis of voxel–based morphometric (VBM) estimates of brain volume in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, JME with FED had an anatomical correlate in the form of reduced gray matter (GM) volume.

• In patients with JME, frontal executive functions were studied and the possible association of FED with their demographic, clinical, and electrographic characteristics were examined.
• The clinicians wanted to perform group analysis of the VBM MRI brain data to compare the gray matter (GM) volumes of JME patients with and without FED.

• From the epilepsy outpatient services, the clinicians recruited 34 patients (20 women) with JME (mean age 23.7 ± 4.58 years).
• They detected FED in 20 patients (58.8%).
• Group analysis of VBM MRI brain demonstrated significant (P < 0.001) reduction in GM volume in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (left Brodmann area [BA] 10, 46, 9, Z-score 3.36, 2.91, 2.03, respectively, and right BA 10 and BA 45, Z-score 2.98 and 3.36, respectively), left insula (BA 13, Z-score 2.14), temporal lobe (BA 38, Z-score 2.76), in the subgroup of JME with FED.