Abstracts

The extent of cortical maldevelopment may correlate with the severity of clinical manifestation such as cognitive delay or motor dysfunction. The objective of this study was to investigate clinical features of epilepsy in patients with unilateral and bilateral schizencephaly. We studied all patients with schizencephaly diagnosed by MRI in our University Hospital. The following data were assessed: presence of epilepsy, occurrence of status epilepticus and cluster of seizures, treatment with AED (monotherapy x polytherapy), seizure control, EEG abnormalities, and diagnosis of epileptic encephalopathy (mental retardation + uncontrolled seizures). Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square and t-Student test. Forty-four patients were studied, 24 with unilateral cleft (GI) and 20 with bilateral clefts (GII). Age ranged from 1 to 37 years (mean = 10.6). Epilepsy was present in 15 (63%) patients of GI and in 11 (55%) of GII; history of status epilepticus occurred in 2 (13%) patients of GI and in 3 (27%) of GII; history of cluster of seizures occurred in 6 (40%) patients of GI and in 5 (45%) of GII; 8 (53%) patients of GI and 6 (50%) of GII were in monotherapy; 10 (67%) patients of GI and 7 (64%) of GII had seizures controlled with AED; EEG abnormalities occurred in 75% of the patients in GI and in 85% of GII; epileptic encephalopathy was diagnosed in 47% of the patients of GI and in 82% of GII. Statistical analysis showed no difference between the two groups. The extent of the cortical maldevelopment in patients with schizencephaly does not correlate with the severity of the clinical and electrographic features of epilepsy.