title: Cognitive function in Nigerian children with newly diagnosed epilepsy: a preliminary report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epilepsy has long been associated with cognitive dysfunction and educational underachievement. The purpose of the study was to describe the baseline findings from a larger prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  New cases of epilepsy aged 6-16 years seen at a paediatric neurology clinic in Ibadan, Nigeria were evaluated for any evidence of cognitive impairment. Intelligence quotient (IQ) of the participants was measured using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). Scores on cognitive subtests and Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) were computed and association between the subsets scores and seizure variables were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  40 children, 24 males and 16 females were studied and their ages ranged from 6 to 16 years with a mean of 10.8 (SD=3.0) years. Global intellectual functioning as measured by the WISC-IV was in the normal range (FSIQ scores <85) for 52.5% (n = 21) of the participants and the remaining participants (47.5%) scored between the borderline and severe category for intellectual disability. The strongest correlation was between 'caregiver's assessment of school performance' and FSIQ, (r = 0.70; p< 0.001). Age at onset of epilepsy and seizure type had no significant association with scores on the WISC-IV composite scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a high prevalence of significant cognitive dysfunction in Nigerian children with epilepsy, even in the absence of any known brain insult. All children with epilepsy should have routine IQ assessment following diagnosis, in order to allow for early intervention when indicated, and thus, improved outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria & Department of Paediatrics, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ike Oluwa Abiola
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Lagunju
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Yetunde Celia
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Adeniyi
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Gbemi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olukolade
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014888:Wechsler Scales
keywords: Epilepsy; WISC-IV; cognitive functions; intellectual disability