title: Neuropsychological findings in childhood narcolepsy.
abstract: Narcolepsy with cataplexy is a severely disabling disorder very often arising in childhood. Data on neuropsychological impairment in children are scant. We administered standardized neuropsychological tests to 13 children with narcolepsy with cataplexy. Overall, our patients displayed multiple patterns of cognitive and behavioral dysfunction, and often academic failure (7 cases out of 13). All children had a normal full intelligence quotient (IQ), but 3 patients presented a significantly higher and 2 a significantly lower Verbal IQ compared to Performance IQ, respectively. Mean sleep latency was significantly correlated (P < .05) to alertness functions. Eight patients displayed behavioral problems: emotional symptoms and conduct problems prevailed. Childhood narcolepsy with cataplexy represents a risk factor for subtle and heterogeneous cognitive impairments potentially resulting in academic failure, despite the normal IQ. These children also have a certain psychopathological risk. All this seems to be at least partially detached from the direct effects of daytime sleepiness.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Italy Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy annio.posar@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Annio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Posar
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Italy Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pizza
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Italy Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parmeggiani
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Italy Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plazzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002385:Cataplexy / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: behavior; cataplexy; childhood; cognitive functions; narcolepsy