Neuropsychological assessment in pediatric epilepsy surgery: A French procedure consensus

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Pediatric Neurology
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Neuropsychological assessment is crucial for pre- and post-operative evaluation in pediatric epilepsy surgery.
• Current literature lacks high-powered studies and French-validated neuropsychological scales for this population.
• The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) - French Chapter's task force addressed this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define a consensus neuropsychological procedure for pediatric epilepsy surgery.
• To adapt existing literature and practices for French clinical settings.
• To establish a guide for pre- and post-surgical cognitive assessment in children.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of cognitive evaluations in pediatric epilepsy surgery (1950-2023).
• Classification of studies based on scientific evidence levels (PubMed database).
• Development of a consensus strategy considering psychometric properties, epilepsy specifics, surgical context, and cultural factors.

Main Results:

• The literature review identified limited high-powered studies and only four using French-version neuropsychological scales.
• A common French neuropsychological procedure for pediatric epilepsy surgery was defined.
• The procedure incorporates psychometric determinants, epilepsy specificity, surgical context, and French cultural considerations.

Conclusions:

• A standardized French neuropsychological procedure for pediatric epilepsy surgery is now available.
• This guide aims to anticipate surgical functional risks and support postoperative outcomes.
• The procedure considers brain plasticity in children and facilitates collaborative research.