Cognitive effects of antiepileptic drug therapy on children born to epileptic mothers

ABSTRACT

Is to evaluate the long term effect of antiepileptic drugs [AEDs] on some cognitive functions in prenatally exposed children of mothers with epilepsy. Thirty children aged between 5 and 12 years, born to mothers with epilepsy were recruited from epilepsy clinic of neuropsychiatric Department of Alexandria Main University Hospital. Fifteen of them were exposed to AED in-utero and fifteen were unexposed. We compared them with control group of 15 children matched for age, education, and socio-economic level. Structured interviews, electroencephalogram and psychometric tests, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III [WISC III] were applied to each child. Children of mothers with epilepsy have lower scores in the mean verbal, performance, as well as full scale IQS. Children exposed to valproate monotherapy and those exposed to polytherapy have reduced verbal IQ compared with other study group and control children. This study highlight the potential harmful effects of in-utero exposure to AEDs on neuropsychological development. The pattern of cognitive changes depends on two factors, one of them is exposure to seizures, the other is whether the mothers' were on monotherapy versus polytherapy