Exploring Language and Neuropsychiatric Differences in Pediatric-onset Epilepsy Patients
Abstract number :
3.366
Submission category :
11. Behavior/Neuropsychology/Language / 11B. Pediatrics
Year :
2022
Submission ID :
2205156
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/5/2022 12:00:00 PM
Published date :
Nov 22, 2022, 05:28 AM
Authors :
Billy Holcombe, PhD – Le Bonheur Children's Hospital / University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Kelley Parsons – Le Bonheur Children's Hospital / UTHSC; Brandon Walker – Le Bonheur Children's Hospital / UTHSC; Christen Holder, Ph.D. – Le Bonheur Children's Hospital / UTHSC
Rationale: Published studies have shown neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric sequelae that are secondary to the location of seizure onset. More specifically, children who are diagnosed with frontal or temporal lobe epilepsy are at increased risk for language issues, including impairment in verbal fluency and comprehension. They are also at increased risk for neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. However, fewer studies have explored differences language and neuropsychiatric outcomes based on focal versus generalized epilepsy.
Methods: All patients (ages 2-18; N = 63; female = 56%, focal epilepsy = 51%) were evaluated by a licensed neuropsychologist at a major pediatric hospital. Demographic data, medical information, and results from formal testing and screenings were abstracted from a central repository. Medical information included the seizure classification/location of seizure onset. Test data were composed of scores from verbal reasoning, expressive and receptive vocabulary, listening comprehension, and phonemic and semantic fluency measures. Information from screenings was obtained via self-report and/or parent/caregiver rating forms. Cognitive data were analyzed using separate one-way analysis of variance tests due to low correlations between select measures. Neuropsychiatric data were analyzed using correlation analyses.
Results: There were no significant language differences based on seizure classification (p > .05). Results showed moderate correlations between depression and anxiety levels, although these findings were not clinically significant after controlling for seizure classification.
Conclusions: The underlying etiology of seizures has been shown to affect language and neuropsychiatric functioning. This study failed to show significant differences based on seizure location (i.e., frontal or temporal versus generalized epilepsy), which may be reassuring to affected individuals. However, findings may have been limited by sample size, use or non-use of antiepileptic therapy, and varying degrees of seizure control.
Funding: Not applicable
Behavior