ABSTRACT
EEGs and behavioral responses were studied in two sex matched groups of 58 epileptic and 20 healthy children between 8 and 12 years of age, during the execution of a go-no go CPT (X; A-X) task to determine transitory cognitive impairment (TCI) incidence. Paroxysmal discharges were found on 87.9% and 5% of the EEGs in the epileptic and control groups respectively, with no differences related to sex. The predominant EEG findings with respect to paroxysmal discharges were the association of two or more types of paroxysms with frequency higher than 5/minute, an average duration less than 0.5 second and topographical distribution over temporal-parietal-occipital areas without significant interhemispheric differences. TCI was detected in 36.2% of epileptic children. The epileptic group showed significantly higher numbers of behavioral errors and longer reaction times (RTs) in relation to the control group. Analyzing RTs on the two blocks of the task, linear discriminant analysis showed an acceptable classification of TCI incidence between groups.
Subject(s)
Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy/physiopathology , Task Performance and Analysis , Case-Control Studies , Child , Cognition Disorders/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Male , Reaction TimeABSTRACT
Serum of normal volunteers and serum of epileptic patients receiving either a single drug or combined antiepileptic therapy with Phenytoin (Phen); Carbamazepine (Cbz); Primidone (Prim); Phenobarbital (Phb) were examined and showed: No differences with regard to total proteins, albumins and A/G ratio. The alpha 1-globulin fraction increased to 4.4% with Phen/Cbz (P less than 0.001) and decreased to 1.7% with Phen/Prim = (P less than 0.001). The alpha 2-globulins corresponded to 7.2% (P less than 0.001) with Phen/Prim and 15.5% (P less than 0.001) with Phen/Phb treatments. beta-Globulins decreased to 7.1% (P less than 0.05) when received Phen/Phb treatment. Low concentrations of serum gamma-Globulins were found in Phb (P less than 0.001), Prim (P less than 0.001, Phen (P less than 0.001) treated patients. However, with Cbz, Phen/Phb, Phen/Prim this electrophoretic fraction remained within the upper range of normal. IgA of patients treated with Phen showed a mean of 60 mg/dl. Those patients with Phen serum levels below or above 12-20 micrograms/ml remained normal. Prim and Phb treatment also decreased IgA. IgD was normal in patients treated with Phen/Prim. Alterations of immune humoral responses to all antiepileptic drugs were found.
