Unilateral frontal lobe epilepsy affects executive functions in children

Very few studies to date have investigated the neuropsychological changes detectable in children suffering from frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE). The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of FLE on cognitive and executive functions in childhood. The sample includes 17 children with a frontal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neurological sciences 2005-10, Vol.26 (4), p.263-270
Main Authors: Riva, D, Avanzini, G, Franceschetti, S, Nichelli, F, Saletti, V, Vago, C, Pantaleoni, C, D'Arrigo, S, Andreucci, E, Aggio, F, Paruta, N, Bulgheroni, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Age of Onset
Child
Child, Preschool
Cognition
Epilepsy
Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe - psychology
Female
Functional Laterality
Humans
Intelligence
Learning
Male
Neurology
Neurosciences
Thinking
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Summary:Very few studies to date have investigated the neuropsychological changes detectable in children suffering from frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE). The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of FLE on cognitive and executive functions in childhood. The sample includes 17 children with a frontal epileptogenic focus (10 right and 7 left), with no evidence of anatomical brain damage. These subjects were assessed by means of a battery of tests to investigate executive functioning. The results emphasised the presence of selective impairments of frontal lobe functions without evidence of deficits in global intellectual functioning. No side-specific deficits were detected, while an earlier onset of epilepsy and the duration of the disorder, but not the seizures frequency, were found to correspond with more severe deficits in some specific frontal lobe functions.
ISSN:1590-1874
1590-3478
DOI:10.1007/s10072-005-0469-7