Abstracts

To compare neuropsychological performance regarding visual memory, of two groups children with focal epilepsy: those who have the EEG epileptogenic focus in left hemisphere (L) , and those who have rigt (R) sided epileptogenic focus.To compare also, performance on visual memory testing between two groups children with EEG focus localized temporal (T) vs.extratemporal(ExT). Visual memory both immediate (reproduction of figure after 3 minutes) and delayed (reproduction of figure after 40 minutes) were measured in 80 children with focal epilepsy aged 7-16 years, using Rey complex figure. The effects of age at seizure onset, number of seizures and type of seizure were also examined. All groups had high rates of impairment in comparation with healthy children controls (p[lt] 0.0001). Group differences were not found neither left (L)vs. right (R) (p[gt] 0.05) , nor temporal (T) vs extratemporal (Ex T) (p[gt] 0.005).Age at seizure onset (before years of 7) and type of seizure were related to performance on Rey complexe figure. The high number of seizure was not correlate with poor performance on test mentioned above. Children with focal epilepsy have visual memory deficit( both immediate and delayed). There is no significant relationship between EEG focus localization and lateralization and severity of measured visual memory impairment. Age at seizure onset and type of seizure are very important predictive factors for cognitive functioning in children with focal epilepsy.