title: Neuropsychological functioning in children with temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal atrophy without mesial temporal sclerosis: a distinct clinical entity?
abstract: Unilateral hippocampal atrophy (HA) is considered as a precursor of mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) in some patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. However, in other cases, it has been suggested that HA without MTS may constitute a distinct epileptic entity. Hippocampal atrophy without MTS was defined as HA without T2-weighted hyperintensity, loss of internal architecture, or associated lesion seen on the MRI data. To date, no study has focused on the cognitive pattern of children with epilepsy with HA without MTS. The objectives of the present study were to characterize the cognitive profile of these children and to investigate the presence (or the absence) of material-specific memory deficits in these young patients, as found in patients with MTS. Toward this end, 16 young patients with epilepsy with either left or right HA without MTS completed a set of neuropsychological tests, assessing overall intelligence, verbal memory and nonverbal memory, and some aspects of attention and executive functions. Results showed normal intellectual functioning without specific memory deficits in these patients. Furthermore, comparison between patients with left HA and patients with right HA failed to reveal a material-specific lateralized memory pattern. Instead, attention and executive functions were found to be impaired in most patients. These results suggest that HA may constitute a distinct epileptic entity, and this information may help health-care providers initiate appropriate and timely interventions.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC), Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Avenue Vincent-d'Indy, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada; Department of Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 40, 6229 Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Charlotte S M
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC), Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Avenue Vincent-d'Indy, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada.
authors.forename: Maryse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lassonde
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gagnon
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC), Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Avenue Vincent-d'Indy, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada.
authors.forename: Catherine H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Sauerwein
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada.
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carmant
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Major
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC), Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Avenue Vincent-d'Indy, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada.
authors.forename: Natacha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Paquette
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC), Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Avenue Vincent-d'Indy, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lepore
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada; Centre de Recherche en Neuropsychologie et Cognition (CERNEC), Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Avenue Vincent-d'Indy, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada. Electronic address: anne.gallagher@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallagher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D001284:Atrophy; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012598:Sclerosis; D014706:Verbal Learning; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attention; Cognition; Executive functions; Hippocampus; Intelligence; Memory; Neuropsychological assessment; Pediatric epilepsy