title: Comparative role of neuropsychological testing in the presurgical evaluation of children with medically intractable epilepsies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, we evaluated the preoperative demographic, clinical, and neuropsychological variables that could predict postoperative seizure outcome in a group of pediatric epileptic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 40 consecutive pediatric patients, ages ranging from 6 to 16 years, that underwent resective surgery for the treatment of medically intractable epilepsy at the Clinical Hospital of Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine. We performed ictal electroencephalography (EEG), interictal EEG, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a preoperative neuropsychological assessment in the presurgical workup.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following factors were correlated with seizure outcome: (1) duration of epilepsy, (2) surgery localization, (3) localized Neuropsychological (NPS) Evaluation, (4) ictal EEG, (5) interictal EEG, and (6) MRI. Mental retardation, NPS tests, and the other demographic variables failed to correlate with seizure reduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identification of predictor variables of epilepsy surgery outcome could improve the epileptic prognosis and guarantee the children's full potential development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Psychiatry and Psychology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cecília
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Souza-Oliveira
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Escorsi-Rosset
authors.forename: Marino Muxfeldt
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bianchin
authors.forename: Vera Cristina
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Terra
authors.forename: Lauro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wichert-Ana
authors.forename: Hélio Rubens
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Américo Ceiki
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome