title: Auditory verbal memory and psychosocial symptoms are related in children with idiopathic epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Idiopathic epilepsies are considered to have relatively good prognoses and normal or near normal developmental outcomes. Nevertheless, accumulating studies demonstrate memory and psychosocial deficits in this population, and the prevalence, severity and relationships between these domains are still not well defined. We aimed to assess memory, psychosocial function, and the relationships between these two domains among children with idiopathic epilepsy syndromes using an extended neuropsychological battery and psychosocial questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cognitive abilities, neuropsychological performance, and socioemotional behavior of 33 early adolescent children, diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy, ages 9-14years, were assessed and compared with 27 age- and education-matched healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to controls, patients with stabilized idiopathic epilepsy exhibited higher risks for short-term memory deficits (auditory verbal and visual) (p<0.0001), working memory deficits (p<0.003), auditory verbal long-term memory deficits (p<0.0021), and more frequent psychosocial symptoms (p<0.0001). The severity of auditory verbal memory deficits was related to severity of psychosocial symptoms among the children with epilepsy but not in the healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that deficient auditory verbal memory may be compromising psychosocial functioning in children with idiopathic epilepsy, possibly underscoring that cognitive variables, such as auditory verbal memory, should be assessed and treated in this population to prevent secondary symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neurology Institute, The Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Bruria
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ben Zeev
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pediatric Neurology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Roni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pediatric Neurology, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel; Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Avinoam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shuper
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel. Electronic address: Ronny.Geva@biu.ac.il.
authors.forename: Ronny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Geva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014706:Verbal Learning
keywords: Children; Idiopathic epilepsy; Memory; Psychosocial functioning