[Factors affecting P300 latencies in epileptic children].

Auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 131 epileptic children of 4 to 20 years of age, and the related factors affecting P300 latencies were evaluated using multiple regression analysis. The examined factors were as follows: (1) age at P300 recording and duration of illness, (2) seizure types and epileptic syndromes, (3) anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), (4) seizure prognosis, (5) organic brain dysfunctions, (6) x-ray CT and (7) EEG background activity and frequency of paroxysms. ERPs were elicited with the oddball paradigm. Five factors of them had significant correlations with P300 latencies. 1) P300 latencies were gradually shortened with age. 2) P300 latencies were prolonged in the patients before and during AED medication compared with those during the period of off-therapy. 3) Symptomatic partial epilepsy showed obviously prolonged P300 latencies. 4) P300 latencies were shortened with increasing alpha 2 power of EEG. 5) P300 latencies became prolonged with the length of illness.