To assess and characterize a possible neurocognitive endophenotype associated with Rolandic epilepsy (RE), a clinical study was carried out to evaluate the neuropsychological profile of children with RE at onset and of their healthy siblings. Seventeen subjects were recruited (10 boys and 7 girls): nine patients affected by RE and eight siblings who underwent clinical and neuropsychological evaluations. All patients and only two siblings showed centrotemporal spikes on the electroencephalographic recording. Eighteen age- and sex-matched healthy children were assessed as controls. A significant impairment was found in language domain, attentional functioning, and short- and long-term verbal memory in both patients and siblings. A positive correlation between verbal comprehension and working memory scores was found in both groups. A similar neuropsychological profile of RE, which affected patients and their siblings with impairment in the same developing areas, supports the hypothesis of a specific neurocognitive phenotype in RE
Neuropsychological impairment in children with Rolandic epilepsy and in their siblings.
VERROTTI DI PIANELLA, Alberto;MATRICARDI, SARA;RAPINO, DANIELE;CHIARELLI, Francesco;COPPOLA, Gabrielle
2013-01-01
Abstract
To assess and characterize a possible neurocognitive endophenotype associated with Rolandic epilepsy (RE), a clinical study was carried out to evaluate the neuropsychological profile of children with RE at onset and of their healthy siblings. Seventeen subjects were recruited (10 boys and 7 girls): nine patients affected by RE and eight siblings who underwent clinical and neuropsychological evaluations. All patients and only two siblings showed centrotemporal spikes on the electroencephalographic recording. Eighteen age- and sex-matched healthy children were assessed as controls. A significant impairment was found in language domain, attentional functioning, and short- and long-term verbal memory in both patients and siblings. A positive correlation between verbal comprehension and working memory scores was found in both groups. A similar neuropsychological profile of RE, which affected patients and their siblings with impairment in the same developing areas, supports the hypothesis of a specific neurocognitive phenotype in REI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.