ADHD and associated cognitive dysfunction in pediatric epilepsy
ADHD is the most common neuropsychiatric comorbidity associated with childhood epilepsy, affecting about a third of children with epilepsy. In contrast, ADHD in the general population occurs in 4 to12% of school aged children. The cause of this association remains unclear. It is likely that common mechanisms underlie the vulnerability for both executive deficits and epileptogenesis.There are characteristics unique to children with ADHD and epilepsy. The inattentive type of ADHD is more prevalent than the combined presentation in children with epilepsy, while the combined type is more common in the general population. (Sour...
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 25, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Jorge Vidaurre, Jaime Dawn E. Twanow Source Type: research
Cognitive and behavioral comorbidities: An unwanted effect of antiepileptic drugs in children
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders and, despite optimally chosen and dosed antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), approximately 20 –30% of patients will continue to have seizures. Behavior and cognition are negatively impacted by seizures, but AEDs are also a major contributor to behavioral and cognitive deficits. However, the cognitive and behavioral impact of AEDs in children is insufficiently emphasized in the literature. This review summarizes the cognitive and behavioral effects of AEDs in the pediatric population with the objective of helping pediatricians and pediatric neurologists to select the AEDs w...
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 25, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Adriana Ulate-Campos, Ivan S ánchez Fernández Source Type: research
Cognitive Outcome after Epilepsy Surgery in Children
Cognitive dysfunction in children with epilepsy is primarily contributed by etiology, seizures, frequency of inter-ictal epileptiform discharges, and adverse effects of anti-epileptic drugs. The direct impact of epilepsy surgery on cognitive outcome depends on 2 key factors: the function that is present in the epileptogenic zone to be removed, and the dysfunction outside the epileptogenic zone caused by epilepsy. Studies on cognitive outcome in children after various types of epilepsy surgery estimate ‘no significant change′ in about 70% of children, improvement in cognition in 10–15%, and decline in 10–15%. (Sourc...
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 25, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Ahsan N.V. Moosa, Elaine Wyllie Source Type: research
Bone Health and Endocrine Comorbidities in Pediatric Epilepsy
Antiseizure medications and dietary therapies have associated effects on the endocrine system. We provided an overview of the association between epilepsy treatment and bone health in children with epilepsy. Additionally, we discussed the effects of epilepsy treatment on other endocrine systems including thyroid function, growth, reproduction, and weight. (Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology)
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 13, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: N.A. McNamara, E.M. Fedak Romanowski, D.P. Olson, R.A. Shellhaas Source Type: research
Early Life Epilepsies are a Comorbidity of Developmental Brain Disorders
Early-life epilepsies are a series of disorders frequently accompanied by a broad range of morbidities that include cognitive, behavioral, neuromuscular, and sleep disturbances; enteric and other forms of autonomic dysfunction; sensory processing difficulties; and other issues. Usually these morbidities cluster together in a single patient. Rather than these being separate conditions, all, including the seizures, are manifestations or coexpressions of developmental brain disorders. Instead of viewing epilepsy as the disease and the other features as comorbidities, approaching early-life epilepsies as part of the spectrum o...
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 9, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Anne T. Berg, Daniel Tarquinio, Sookyong Koh Source Type: research
Early life epilepsies are a coexpression of developmental brain disorders
Early-life epilepsies are series disorders frequently accompanied by a broad range of morbidities that include cognitive, behavioral, neuromuscular, and sleep disorders; enteric and other forms of autonomic dysfunction; sensory processing disorders; and other issues. Usually these morbidities cluster together in a single patient, multimorbidity. Rather than these being separate disorders, all, including the seizures, are manifestations or coexpressions of developmental brain disorders. Instead of viewing epilepsy as the disorder and the other features as comorbidities, approaching early-life epilepsies as part of the spect...
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 9, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Anne T. Berg, Daniel Tarquinio, Sookyong Koh Source Type: research
Early life epilepsies are a co-expression of developmental brain disorders
Early life epilepsies are series disorders frequently accompanied by a broad range of morbidities that include cognitive, behavioral, neuromuscular, and sleep disorders; enteric and other forms of autonomic dysfunction; sensory processing disorders; and other issues. Usually these morbidities cluster together in a single patient, multimorbidity. Rather than these being separate disorders, all, including the seizures, are manifestations or co-expressions of developmental brain disorders (DBD). Instead of viewing epilepsy as the disorder and the other features as comorbidities, approaching early life epilepsies as part of th...
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 9, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Anne T. Berg, Daniel Tarquinio, Sookyong Koh Source Type: research
Effect of Epilepsy on Families, Communities, and Society
The effect of epilepsy extends beyond those with the diagnosis and impacts families, communities and society. Caregiver and sibling quality of life is often negatively affected by frequent seizures, comorbid behavioral and sleep disorders and stigma surrounding the diagnosis. Furthermore, the negative affects can be magnified by individual coping styles and resources available to families of those with epilepsy. Beyond the family and immediate caregivers, epilepsy affects local communities by drawing additional resources from education systems. (Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology)
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Adam P. Ostendorf, Satyanarayana Gedela Source Type: research
Cognitive and Social Outcomes of Epileptic Encephalopathies
The term “epileptic encephalopathy” denotes a disorder in which seizures or frequent interictal discharges exacerbate neurocognitive dysfunction beyond what would be expected on the basis of underlying etiology. However, many underlying causes of epileptic encephalopathy also result in neurocognitive def icits, and it can be challenging to discern to what extent these deficits can be improved with better seizure control. Additionally, as seizures in these conditions are typically refractory, children are often exposed to high doses of multiple antiepileptic drugs which further exacerbate these co-mo rbidities. (Source:...
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Katherine C. Nickels, Elaine C. Wirrell Source Type: research
What is the Relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorders and Epilepsy?
The association of epilepsy and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is best understood by examining the relationship between social cognition, non-social cognition, and epilepsy. The relationship between ASD and epilepsy is bi-directional and is strongly linked to intellectual disability (ID). The risk of developing ASD in children with epilepsy is highest in children with early onset seizures, with a high prevalence in children with infantile spasms. The risk of developing epilepsy in children first diagnosed with ASD is highest in those with ID. (Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology)
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Roberto Tuchman Source Type: research
Impact of Epilepsy on Families, Communities and Society
The effect of epilepsy extends beyond those with the diagnosis and impacts families, communities and society. Caregiver and sibling quality of life is often negatively affected by frequent seizures, comorbid behavioral and sleep disorders and stigma surrounding the diagnosis. Furthermore, the negative impacts can be magnified by individual coping styles and resources available to families of those with epilepsy. Beyond the family and immediate caregivers, epilepsy impacts local communities by drawing additional resources from education systems. (Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology)
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 7, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Adam P. Ostendorf, Satyanarayana Gedela Tags: 4th issue- Complications of Epilepsy Source Type: research
Cognitive disabilities and long-term outcomes in children with epilepsy: A tangled tail
Cognitive problems ranging from mild specific learning problems to profound intellectual disability (ID) are very common in children with epilepsy. For most affected patients there is good evidence that the cognitive problems are present at the onset of seizures and do not deteriorate over time. There is no evidence that a few seizures lead to cognitive deterioration. An exception may occur in children with epileptic encephalopathies, although this contention is not always easy to prove. Intellectual disability is a strong predictor of intractable epilepsy, and the greater the degree of the ID the greater the risk of medic...
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 6, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Carol Camfield, Peter Camfield Tags: Original article Source Type: research
Neurocognitive Comorbidities in Pediatric Epilepsy: Lessons in the Laboratory and Clinical Profile
This article starts with an overview of the current data on animal model research, studying the influence of early-life seizures, followed by a summary of potential cellular and molecular mechanisms by which seizures can affect cognitive development. We then describe specific abnormal neuropsychological profiles that accompany specific pediatric epilepsy syndromes. (Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology)
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 6, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Lily H. Tran, Mary L. Zupanc Source Type: research
Neurocognitive Comorbidities in Pediatric Epilepsy: Lessons in the Lab and Clinical Profile
This article starts with an overview of the current data on animal model research, studying the influence of early-life seizures, followed by a summary of potential cellular and molecular mechanisms by which seizures can impact cognitive development. We then describe specific abnormal neuropsychological profiles that accompany specific pediatric epilepsy syndromes. (Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology)
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 6, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Lily H. Tran, Mary L. Zupanc Source Type: research
Pediatric Headache and Seizures
Headache and seizure are two of the most common complaints seen in the field of pediatric neurology with headache being number one. Both these conditions may coexist. Where the difficulty begins is when the symptoms are not clear cut in making a diagnosis, and conditions are possible as either an atypical seizure or migraine variant. What further complicates matters is the fact that there are many underlying neurologic conditions that carry with them a higher likelihood of developing both headaches and seizures, making each a distinct possibility when obtaining a history from a parent about unusual spells. (Source: Seminar...
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - October 6, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Christopher B. Oakley, Eric H. Kossoff Source Type: research
