The attention networks in benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes: A long-term follow-up study.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the long-term prognosis of attention deficit in children with newly diagnosed benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS).

METHODS

Attention network test (ANT) was performed over a period of 7 years on 42 patients who were newly diagnosed with BECTS, in the Department of Neurology of Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital.

RESULTS

In the patients' group, the accuracy of ANT was lower (P = 0.000), the total response time was longer (P = 0.000), and the efficiency of orienting (P = 0.000) and alerting (P = 0.041) networks was lower than that of the control group. Accuracy was positively correlated with age of onset (b = 1.184) and negatively correlated with number of seizures (b = -1.321). After 7 years, there was no significant difference in the accuracy (P = 0.385); total response time (P = 0.661); and alerting (P = 0.797), orienting (P = 0.709), and executive control (P = 0.806) network efficiencies between the patients and controls. Accuracy was positively correlated with age of onset (b = 0.8583) and negatively correlated with number of seizures (b = -1.017) and duration of antiepileptic drugs therapy (b = -3.203).

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, the newly diagnosed BECTS patients had impaired attention network, mainly in the alerting and orienting domains. Age of onset, number of seizures, and time of antiepileptic treatment may affect the attention networks. With the remission of BECTS, the attention network dysfunction was reversed.