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[Analysis of functional hemispheric asymmetry in children with partial epilepsy and normal IQ by performance in WISC
M Muszkat1, N S De Vincenzo, A Masuko
1Disciplina de Neurologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brasil.
Insights
Children with partial epilepsy, even with normal IQ, show cognitive deficits. These deficits are linked to the specific brain hemisphere affected by EEG abnormalities, impacting verbal and spatial skills.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Epilepsy in children can affect cognitive development.
- Understanding cognitive deficits in children with normal IQ is crucial.
- Partial epilepsy may present with subtle neurodevelopmental changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cognitive performance in children with normal IQ and partial epilepsy.
- To determine if cognitive deficits correlate with the location of EEG abnormalities.
- To compare cognitive profiles between epileptic and non-epileptic children.
Main Methods:
- Cognitive assessment using the Wechsler Infant Scale for Children (WISC) battery.
- Comparison of performance between 26 children with partial epilepsy and 61 controls.
- Analysis of cognitive scores based on electroencephalogram (EEG) hemisphere focus.
Main Results:
- The epileptic group scored lower on overall IQ and specific WISC subtests (verbal and performance).
- Right hemisphere EEG focus correlated with lower scores in spatial ability and non-verbal attention.
- Left hemisphere EEG focus was associated with lower scores in the Digit span subtest (memory and verbal attention).
Conclusions:
- Cognitive deficits in children with partial epilepsy and normal IQ are influenced by the side of EEG abnormalities.
- The location of interictal abnormalities predicts specific cognitive impairments.
- Even without visible brain lesions, epilepsy can impact cognitive function in children.
Abstract:
We studied 87 normal IQ children, 26 partial epileptic (epileptic group) and 61 non-epileptic children (control group) with mean age of 9 years in relation to cognitive performance in Wechsler Infant Scale for Children (WISC) battery. The epileptic group showed lower score in IQ performance and in three verbal subtests (Information, Digit span, Arithmetic) and three performance subtests (Block Design, Object Assembly and Coding). Patients with right hemisphere EEG focus showed low score in subtests related to spatial ability and non-verbal attention, whereas patients with left hemisphere EEG focus showed low score only in Digit span subtest (related to immediate memory and verbal attention). The authors suggest that cognitive deficits in partial non-lesional epileptic children is related to the side of EEG interictal abnormalities, even in children with normal IQ.