Vestibular function in children with generalized epilepsy and treated with valproate

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pediatrics
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Vestibular function studies in children with epilepsy are less common than auditory studies.
• This research focuses on assessing vestibular function in children during their inter-ictal period.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate vestibular function in children diagnosed with generalized epilepsy.
• To identify potential correlations between vestibular dysfunction, epilepsy characteristics, and valproate treatment.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 35 children with epilepsy and 24 healthy controls.
• Vestibular function assessed using videonystagmography (VNG) and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs).

Main Results:

• 65.71% of children with epilepsy exhibited vestibular dysfunctions (VDs), primarily peripheral.
• Peripheral VDs included unilateral caloric weakness and reduced cVEMP amplitudes; central VDs involved oculomotor abnormalities and positional nystagmus.
• VDs correlated significantly with epilepsy duration, treatment duration, and valproate dosage and levels.

Conclusions:

• Vestibular dysfunction is prevalent in children with epilepsy, with peripheral dysfunction being more common.
• Valproate treatment may contribute to peripheral vestibular dysfunction.
• Epilepsy itself may also play a role in central vestibular dysfunction.