Cognitive impact in children with “benign” childhood focal epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes

Authors

  • Natalie Helene van Cleef Banaskiwitz University of São Paulo; Institute of Psychology
  • Carmen Silvia Molleis Galego Miziara University of São Paulo; School of Medicine; Department of Neurology
  • Alana Batista Xavier Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro; Health Sciences Center
  • Maria Luiza Giraldes De Manreza University of São Paulo; School of Medicine; Department of Neurology
  • Alisson Paulino Trevizol Federal University of São Paulo; Medical School; Department of Psychiatry
  • Álvaro Machado Dias Federal University of São Paulo; Medical School; Department of Psychiatry
  • Antonio De Pádua Serafim Methodist University of São Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-60830000000129

Keywords:

Childhood epilepsy, cognition, executive function, attention, child psychiatry

Abstract

Background Cognitive alterations are associated with benign childhood focal epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS) including aspects of executive functions. Objectives This study presents the performance profile on attention and executive function tests of fifty-eight children (BCECTS, n = 30 and controls, n = 28) aged 8-13 years. Methods The following tools were employed: Vocabulary and Block Design subtests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III, Stroop Test, Modified Card Sorting Test, Controlled Oral Word Association – FAS and Tower of London. Results Children with BCECTS presented average IQ measure, although their performance was statistically worse when compared to the control group. Children with BCECTS showed significantly lower performance compared to the control group in the following variables: total number of recollected words on the oral fluency test, total number of categories, categorization effect and total number of errors in MCST; and execution time for the Stroop Test Card 1. After controlling for the IQ effect, the total number of errors in the MCST did not show any significant difference between the groups. Discussion Children with BCECTS showed lower performance in attention and executive functions when compared to healthy children. The results suggest that the concept of “benign” BCECTS should be reconsidered.

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Published

2017-08-01

Issue

Section

Original Articles

How to Cite

Cognitive impact in children with “benign” childhood focal epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes. (2017). Archives of Clinical Psychiatry, 44(4), 99-102. https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-60830000000129