Cognitive Dysfunction And Neuropsychiatric Abnormalities In Primary Childhood Epilepsy

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent, disabling, and misunderstood chronic
neurologic disorders. Epilepsy is one of the most common serious neurological disorders
during childhood. Many children with pilepsy are affected by various neuropsychiatric
comorbidities, which significantly affect the quality of their lives. Above all, cognitive
impairments, such as memory impairments ,mentals lowness, and attention deficits, are the
most common comorbid disorders in epilepsy.
Aim of the Study: we aimed to diagnose early the cognitive dysfunction and
neuropsychiatric abnormalities for better management.
Patients and Methods: A cohort study which carried out in Zagazig university hospitals in
the pediatric neurology outpatient clinic and rehabilitation and speechcenters. 66 Children
with primary epilepsy in childhood above the age of five years on treatment were equally
distributed into two equal groups and were underwent general and neurological assessment,
including full history and examination. Also, all of patients were assessed with the Wechsler
Intelligence Scale for Children, translated into Arabic.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between Cases group and Controls
group regarding sex and age. neuropsychiatric abnormalities were present among (90.9%) of
cases group. lack of concentration was present among (45.5%) of cases group. VP ranged
between 14 and 37 with mean
(24.73±6.06),PRrangedbetween14and33withmean(23.82±5.23),
WMrangedbetween8and22withmean(16.58±3.73),PSrangedbetween
8and14withmean(11.18±1.66)andTMrangedbetween27and102with mean (74.94± 16.27).
Mean value of total IQ was statistically lower among cases group than controls group. There
was no statistically significant difference between type of drugs and Total IQ. Mean value of
total IQ was statistically higher among cases on one drug than cases on two drugs or
more.Mean value of age was statistically lower among cases on one drug than cases on two
drugs or more.
Conclusion:Childhood epilepsy is associated with cognitive deficits, intellectual decline, and
behavioral problems, which are multifactorial, such as age of onset, frequency, type of
seizure, prolonged seizures, antiepileptic drugs, and duration of epilepsy