Cognitive Function in Childhood Epilepsy: Importance of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
- Author:
Sung Han KANG
1
;
Mi Sun YUM
;
Eun Hee KIM
;
Hyo Won KIM
;
Tae Sung KO
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: cognition; attention; working memory; epilepsy; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- MeSH: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity*; Child; Classification; Cognition; Education; Epilepsy*; Humans; Intelligence; Medical Records; Memory, Short-Term; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Seizures
- From:Journal of Clinical Neurology 2015;11(1):20-25
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To determine how cognitive function is related to epilepsy classification and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with newly diagnosed epilepsy of genetic or unknown etiology. METHODS: The medical records of children aged 6-16 years with newly diagnosed epilepsy of genetic or unknown etiology were reviewed retrospectively. The Korean Education Development Institute-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and the Comprehensive Attention Test were used to evaluate intelligence and attention/executive function, respectively. RESULTS: The data of a total of 149 children, 103 with focal seizures and 46 with generalized seizures, were reviewed. The prevalence of ADHD was 49.2% (59 out of 120 examined patients), and ADHD patients exhibited significantly worse auditory selective attention, flanker test results, and spatial working memory. Patients with generalized seizures exhibited significantly worse auditory selective and sustained attention than patients with focal seizures. In patients with generalized seizures, sustained attention, flanker test findings, and spatial working memory were found to be affected by ADHD, and auditory selective and sustained attention were significantly worse in patients with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes and ADHD than in their counterparts without ADHD. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive processes are affected by seizure type and comorbid ADHD. Proper characterization of these neuropsychiatric impairments may allow earlier intervention during the disease course.
