title: Visual and visuoperceptual function in children with Panayiotopoulos syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess behavioral aspects of visual function and visuoperceptual abilities in patients with Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS), and their possible associations with clinical and electroencephalography (EEG) findings in order to establish the possible effect of interictal paroxysmal activity on visual performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cohort included 28 patients (14 male and 14 female) of ages ranging between 4 and 15 years. All patients underwent serial videopolygraphic studies and a detailed battery of tests assessing visual abilities, including assessment of acuity, stereopsis, visual fields, and visuoperceptual abilities; tests included the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, the Visuo Motor Integration tests, and evaluation of motion and form coherence threshold.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the assessment of visual function, only 4 of the 28 (15%) had abnormal crowding acuity and one had abnormal stereopsis. On the visuoperceptual assessment, one patient had abnormal results on the Visuo Motor Integration tests, and one on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, whereas 4 (15%) had abnormal results for form coherence threshold and one for motion threshold.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that, although most of our patients had focal or diffuse EEG abnormalities involving the occipital regions, abnormalities of visual and visuoperceptual function were relatively uncommon. Age at onset of seizure <5 years and EEG activation to eye closure and during sleep can be considered as factors that slightly increased the risk for developing visual abnormalities. Their presence, however, was not always associated with abnormal visual findings.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neurology Unit, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Rose
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perrino
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lettori
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cesarini
authors.forename: Domenica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guzzetta
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mercuri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013577:Syndrome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*