title: Association of language dysfunction and age of onset of benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Language dysfunction in children with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) has been well recognized but data regarding its risk factors are heterogenous.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess language function in children with BECTS and its association with the age of epilepsy onset.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed language function in 61 children with BECTS and 35 age and sex-matched controls. Children with BECTS performed significantly worse on all language tasks as compared to controls and overall better language function was positively correlated with older age of the child. Early age at seizure onset demonstrated significant negative correlation with language dysfunction, age below 6 years being related to the lowest performance scores. There was no relationship between the language function and the laterality of epileptic focus, seizure treatment status, or the duration of epilepsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with BECTS have language difficulties that are more pronounced in younger age group. Despite better language functioning in older children with BECTS, their verbal abilities remain inferior to those of children without epilepsy. Early age at seizure onset is a significant factor predicting worse language functioning in children with BECTS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Giedrė
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jurkevičienė
authors.forename: Milda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endzinienė
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Laukienė
authors.forename: Viktoras
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Šaferis
authors.forename: Daiva
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rastenytė
authors.forename: Sigita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Plioplys
authors.forename: Nerija
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vaičienė-Magistris
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D007807:Language Tests; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D014705:Verbal Behavior
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants