Study of level and structure of intelligence in children with benign epilepsy of childhood with centrotemporal spikes

Abstract

Objective To study the level and structure of intelligence in children with benign epilepsy of childhood with centrotemporal spikes(BECT)and investigate factors affecting their intelligence.Methods Congitive skills such as intelligence quotient(IQ),phonological test and morphological test,were evaluated in 47 children with BECT,and the results were compared to a control group of 30 children matched for gender,age,level of education and family background.The effects of age of onset,disease course,seizure frequency,seizure type,location of spike,and spike and wave index(SWI)on the level and structure of intelligence were also analyzed.Results The total IQ score was slightly lower in children with BECT(104.20±12.34)when compared to the control group of normal children(109.45±15.01),but the difference was not significant.There was no difference in performance IQ scores between BECT and normal children.BECT children had a lower verbal IQ score(90.67±18.40)when compared to the control group(98.17±13.18,t=3.431.P<0.05).Analyses of verbal subtests revealed significant differences between BECT and normal children in vocabulary and similarities(5.97±2.95 vs 8.51±3.67 and 4.85±3.02 vs 6.95±3.07,respectively,t value were 2.365 and 2.096,both P<0.05).The differences between BECT and normal children were also significant in phonological test and morphological test (12.56±2.3 vs 16.78±3.72 and 22.35±3.25 vs 24.15±5.28,respectively,t=2.478 and 2.770,both P<0.05).SWI was negatively correlated with verbal IQ,vocabulary,similarities,phonological test and morphological test(r=-0.305--0.838,P<0.05).Age of onset,disease course and seizure frequency were not correlated with verbal IQ,phonological test and morphological test.The level of intelligence was not different among children with left hemispheric foci,fight hemispheric foci or bilateral foci.The level of intelligence Was similar between children with partial seizures or secondarily generalized seizures.Conclusions Children with BECT have normal level of intelligence,but the structure of intelligence is abnormal with retardation of their language ability.SWI affects the language ability in children with BECT,but age of onset,seizure type and location of spike do not influence their language ability. Key words: Epilepsy,rolandic; Child; Intelligence; Wechsler scales