VISUOSPATIALSKILLS AND ANTISEIZURE MEDICATIONSIN CHI

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate visuospatial abilities in children and adolescents with different types of epilepsy treated with antiseizure monotherapy. Methods: A neuropsychological assessment was performed at baseline and after one year. 207 subjects diagnosed with epilepsy and pharmacologically treated with monotherapy including levetiracetam, ethosuximide, valproic acid, carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine and 45 controls were recruited and were compared by gender and age. To evaluate visuospatial perception and memory we used Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure. All subjects performed the test at baseline and after 12 month of drug therapy. For the statistical analyzes we regarded: age at onset of epilepsy, epilepsy type, seizure frequency, side and lobe of seizure onset, ASM dose, epilepsy duration, non-verbal intelligence, age, sex, executive functions. EEG, seizure frequency, and drug dose were also recorded. Results: Subjects with epilepsy executed only in the Immediate Recall test significantly worse than controls at baseline. There are no differences between clinical groups. We observed a correlation between Instant Recall scores and executive functions, age of seizure onset and epilepsy duration. There was a significantly worsened re-evaluation in the mean score to Immediate Recall in the valproic acid, ethosuximide and carbamazepine groups while no change was noticed in the levetiracetam and oxcarbazepine group. Conclusion: A visuospatial memory deficit may be present in children with epilepsy compared to control, and this deficit may be related to some aspects of epilepsy and to executive functions; visuospatial memory should be monitored in pediatric subjects which can be influenced by some drugs used for the treatment of seizures.