Reading performance in children with rolandic epilepsy correlates with nocturnal epileptiform activity, but not with
S C M Ebus1, G M Overvliet, J B A M Arends
1Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands. Ebuss@kempenhaeghe.nl
Objective:
An association between language impairment and rolandic epilepsy is frequently reported. This impairment could be correlated with the amount of nocturnal epileptiform activity.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed 26 children with rolandic epilepsy and/or rolandic spikes. All had undergone a 24-hour EEG and neuropsychological assessment within 2 weeks. Reading performance (reading words and sentences) and intelligence were measured.
Results:
There was a significant negative correlation between amount of nocturnal epileptiform activity and reading sentences R=-0.525 (P=0.008). There was a trend in this correlation for reading words R=-0.398 (P=0.054). We found a negative correlation between amount of nocturnal epileptiform activity and Verbal IQ (R=-0.51 P=0.08). No correlation was found between reading performance or Verbal IQ and amount of diurnal epileptiform activity.
Conclusions:
Reading performance is impaired in children with rolandic epilepsy and is correlated with the amount of nocturnal epileptiform activity.
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