Abstracts

Both sleep disturbance and cognitive problems are common in children with epilepsy. It is well established that sleep disturbance affects cognitive processing (e.g., Pilcher and Huffcutt, 1996). The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between sleep problems and neuropsychological function in a group of children with new onset seizures., Participants were 307 children (160 girls, 147 boys) between 6 and 14 years of age (mean age = 9 years) who were enrolled in an ongoing longitudinal study of new onset seizures. The most common seizure type was complex partial/complex partial with secondary generalization. Eighteen month follow-up data were available for 222 children. The Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ; Cortesi et al., 1999) was administered. The SBQ yields five factor scores: Parasomnias, Parent/Child Interaction, Daytime Drowsiness, Sleep Fragmentation, and Bedtime Difficulties, was administered. A brief neuropsychological test battery was also administered and produced factor scores for Language, Verbal Memory, Processing Speed, and Executive Function., Correlational analyses (Spearman[apos]s) showed that, at baseline, language ability was inversely related to the degree of parasomnia symptoms. Executive skills were inversely related to bedtime difficulties, parent/child interaction during the night, and parasomnia symptoms. Processing speed was inversely related to daytime drowsiness, sleep fragmentation, and parasomnia symptoms (all s = -.13 to -.21, [lt] .05). Verbal memory was not significantly correlated with any of the sleep disturbance factors., These findings document that symptoms of sleep disturbance and cognitive problems are related in children with seizures, even at the time of the first seizure. Attention to the possibility of sleep disturbance and the provision of appropriate intervention may lessen the severity of cognitive dysfunction. Longitudinal investigation of these relationships is ongoing; future research should include intervention studies.
References
Cortesi F., Giannotti F., [amp] Ottaviano S. (1999). Sleep problems and daytime behavior in childhood idiopathic epilepsy. [italic]Epilepsia, 40,[/italic]1557-1565.
Pilcher, J.J., [amp] Huffcutt, A.I. (1996). Effects of sleep deprivation on performance: A meta-analysis. [italic]Sleep, 19,[/italic] 318-326., (Supported by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS22416, J.K. Austin, P.I.))