MITOGEN IMMUNE RESPONSES AND CEREBRAL LATERALIZATION IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING EPILEPSY SURGERY
Abstract number :
2.164
Submission category :
Year :
2002
Submission ID :
3455
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/7/2002 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2002, 06:00 AM
Authors :
Kimford J. Meador, Patty G. Ray, David W. Loring, Sandra W. Helman. Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Neurology, New York University, New York, NY; Surgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA
RATIONALE: Cerebral lateralization is postulated to affect immune function. In two separate cohorts of epilepsy patients, we previously demonstrated that left and right cerebral resections differentially affect T-cells. Language dominant hemisphere resections reduced T-cells, but resections in the non-dominant side increased T-cells. The objective of the present study was to determine if a similar effect was present for other immunologic indices, namely mitogen responses.
METHODS: In vitro responses to the T-cell mitogens, phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (ConA), as well as the T-cell and B-cell mitogen to poke weed (PWM) were tested at three dilutions. Evaluations were obtained at pre-op and two post-op (first week and 2 months) times in 15 patients (7 women, 8 men; mean age = 37 years; age range = 19-61). Epileptic focus was as follows: 3 left temporal, 2 left frontal, 7 right temporal, and 3 right frontal lobe. All of the patients in this report were left language dominant.
RESULTS: PWM response was decreased in the first week post-op [F(1,10) = 5.14, p=.05], but left/right resections produced differential effects [F(1,10) = 4.50, p=.05]. Pre-op and two months post-op, PWM responses were greater for patients with a right cerebral focus compared to those with a left focus. In the first week post-op, this asymmetry was reversed with a greater response for patients undergoing left cerebral resection. A trend for a similar effect was seen for ConA.
CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with our prior T-cell studies, the present results demonstrate differential immunological responses in humans to focal cerebral lesions as a function of cerebral lateralization. These findings are consistent with similar differential hemispheric effects in animal lesion studies. In addition, the present study suggests that the side of epileptic focus affects mitogen response separate from the effects of surgery. Further research is needed to delineate the mechanisms underlying cerebral lateralization of immune modulation.
[Supported by: Dana Foundation]