Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
09:57

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Published on: September 20, 2024

Attentional ability in children with epilepsy

Rocio Sánchez-Carpintero1, Brian G R Neville

  • 1Neurosciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, UCL Medical School of London, Department of Paediatric Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, NHS Trust, The Wolfson Centre, Mecklenburgh Square, London, England. rsanchez@unav.es

Epilepsia
|September 27, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Children with epilepsy often experience attention problems. Specific epilepsy types and brain activity impact sustained, selective, and divided attention, with early onset potentially worsening deficits.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Neuropsychology
  • Epileptology

Background:

  • Attention problems are common in children with epilepsy.
  • Understanding attention deficits and their underlying mechanisms is crucial for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review attention constructs and analyze evidence for attention deficits in children with epilepsy.
  • To examine the influence of epilepsy variables and pathophysiological mechanisms on attention.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of attention constructs and deficits in pediatric epilepsy.
  • Analysis of evidence linking epilepsy characteristics (type, activity, onset) to attention.

Main Results:

  • Benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS) is associated with sustained attention deficits, potentially due to right hemisphere dysfunction from epileptiform activity.
  • Children with BCECTS may also have selective and divided attention deficits during sleep with epileptiform discharges.
  • Complex partial seizures (CPSs) are linked to sustained attention deficits, but not selective or divided attention.
  • Earlier epilepsy onset correlates with increased cognitive difficulties, potentially affecting attention development.
  • Antiepileptic drugs are generally not impairing, though phenobarbital may cause ADHD-like behavioral side effects.

Conclusions:

  • Interictal epileptiform activity in BCECTS impairs sustained attention; sleep discharges may also affect attention.
  • Further research is needed on various attention aspects in children with epilepsy, especially drug-resistant cases.
  • Prospective studies, including pre- and post-epilepsy surgery assessments, could illuminate seizure impact on attention.

More Related Videos

Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)10:02

Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Published on: March 12, 2020

Cortical Source Analysis of High-Density EEG Recordings in Children09:32

Cortical Source Analysis of High-Density EEG Recordings in Children

Published on: June 30, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Epilepsy ll: Types01:22

Epilepsy ll: Types

Recurrent seizures, stemming from abnormal electrical activity in the brain, are the defining characteristic of epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition. Because seizure features vary greatly, epilepsy is classified using two systems: by seizure type and by epilepsy syndromes. These classifications enable clinicians to describe seizure patterns and select suitable treatment strategies.I. Classification by Seizure Type1. Focal EpilepsyFocal epilepsy begins in one hemisphere of the brain.
Seizures l: Introduction01:20

Seizures l: Introduction

Understanding seizures and epilepsy relies on key definitions that help in recognizing, classifying, and managing these disorders. These definitions provide a framework for recognizing, classifying, and managing seizure disorders.DefinitionsA seizure is a sudden, abnormal burst of electrical activity in the brain that can cause changes in awareness, movement, sensation, or behavior, depending on the area involved. Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures,...