Epilepsy and Cognitive Impairment in Childhood and Adolescence: A Mini-Review

Abstract

Managing epilepsy in people with intellectual disability remains a therapeutic challenge and must take into account additional issues such as diagnostic difficulties and frequent drug resistance. Advances in genomic technologies improved our understanding of epilepsy and raised the possibility to develop patients-tailored treatments acting on the key molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the disease. In addition to conventional antiseizure medications (ASMs), ketogenic diet, hormone therapy and epilepsy surgery play an important role especially in cases of drug resistance. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the mainfactors influencing cognition in children and adolescents with epilepsy and the main therapeutic options available for the epilepsies associated with intellectual disability.

The Beneficial Outcome of Subsequent Treatment with Anakinra during the Chronic Phase of Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome (FIRES): A Case Report

“…Determining whether these impairments were due to polytherapy or prolonged status epilepticus that caused permanent effects on the brain is a difficult challenge. However, cognitive disorders in children with epilepsy are common and can range from mild to profound intellectual disability [19].…”

Cognitive Disorders, Depression and Anxiety in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: An Overview

“…Children and adolescents, whose brains are still developing, are particularly susceptible to cognitive impairments. This may be due to the combined effects of epileptogenic pathology, seizure frequency, and disruption of brain development [57] [58].…”

Assessment of aggressive behavior in Dravet syndrome: a critical look

“…Its clinical presentation also varies with age (Dravet, 2011 ). In addition to refractory seizures, core symptoms include developmental delays, motor dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and behavioral difficulties (Anwar et al, 2019 ; Jansson et al, 2020 ; Operto et al, 2023 ). These behavioral issues often encompass hyperactivity, attention deficit, mood instability, irritability, oppositional behaviors, perseverative attitudes, impulsive actions, or autism spectrum traits (Brunklaus et al, 2011 ; Sinoo et al, 2019 ; Jansson et al, 2020 ).…”