Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common parasitic infection of the Central Nervous System (CNS)_. A frequent cause of reactive seizures and epilepsy worldwide. In the last decades, several studies have suggested an association between NCC and hippocampal atrophy (HA). New Magnetic Resonance (MRI) techniques allowed more detailed evaluation of cystic lesions, inflammatory response and other associated abnormalities.

Patients followed outpatient clinics due to epilepsy or cephalgia and NCC, were evaluated through clinical and imaging data (MRI). They were classified as treated and not treated for NCC (albendazole or praziquantel). The presence of hippocampal atrophy was evaluated through the online volBrain program (http://volbrain.upv.es), using as reference the mean of the hippocampus of healthy individuals, defined as the control group. We defined the evolution of the cysts and/or other parenchymal alterations through the visual analysis of the MRI.

Data analysis was performed using SPSS software. For the quantitative variables, we performed the normality test (Kolmogorov-Smirnov), followed by non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis). The chi-square (x²) or Fisher's test were used to analyze the categorical variables.

we evaluated 181 individuals (70 cases and 111 controls). Hippocampal volumes were different between cases and controls (p<0.001). 70% of the cases presented HA. 52.2% of the patients without history of treatment for NCC had reports of epileptic seizures. There was an association between non-treatment and the occurrence of epileptic seizures (p=0.006). 72.7% of the patients had signs of edema around the calcified lesion(s). There was an association between perilesional edema and the presence of epileptic seizures (p=0,004).

Hippocampal atrophy is frequent in patients with NCC.

There was an association between non-treatment, perilesional edema and the occurrence of epileptic seizures.