Disturbi specifici di apprendimento nell'epilessia con parossismi rolandici in età evolutiva

In children with rolandic epilepsy cognitive dysfunctions or learning disabilities may sometimes develop. There are very few longitudinal data on the cognitive evolution of these children, particularly in relationship to the paroxysmal electroencephalographic activity. A consecutive series of children with typical benign epilepsy of childhood with rolandic spikes was evaluated with a standardized neuropsychological assessment and sleep EEG registrations. In 8 of 16 children affected by rolandic epilepsy specific learning disorders were found; these features were correlated with an important activation of interictal EEG pattern on left hemisphere during sleep, and an onset of epilepsy prior to 5 years of age. In three children with aggravation of the paroxysmal EEG activity, clinical worsening was documented.