Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contact information for authors
- Biography for Jacobus Donders and Scott J. Hunter
- Introduction
- Section I Theory and models
- Section II Disorders
- 5a Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents
- 5b Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults
- 5c Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a lifespan synthesis
- 6a Learning disorders in children and adolescents
- 6b Learning disorders in adults
- 6c Synthesis of chapters on learning disabilities: overview and additional perspectives
- 7a Infants and children with spina bifida
- 7b Adolescence and emerging adulthood in individuals with spina bifida: a developmental neuropsychological perspective
- 7c Spina bifida/myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus across the lifespan: a developmental synthesis
- 8 Cerebral palsy across the lifespan
- 9a Intellectual disability across the lifespan
- 9b Lifespan aspects of PDD/autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
- 9c Autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability: common themes and points of divergence
- 10a Hearing loss across the lifespan: neuropsychological perspectives
- 10b Visual impairment across the lifespan: neuropsychological perspectives
- 11a Traumatic brain injury in childhood
- 11b Adult outcomes of pediatric traumatic brain injury
- 11c Neurobehavioral aspects of traumatic brain injury sustained in adulthood
- 11d Traumatic brain injury in older adults
- 11e Traumatic brain injury across the lifespan: a long-term developmental perspective
- 12a Pediatric aspects of epilepsy
- 12b A lifespan perspective of cognition in epilepsy
- 13a Leukemia and lymphoma across the lifespan
- 13b Lifespan aspects of brain tumors
- 14 Lifespan aspects of endocrine disorders
- 15 Metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders across the lifespan
- 16a Psychopathological conditions in children and adolescents
- 16b Psychopathological conditions in adults
- 16c Neuropsychological aspects of psychopathology across the lifespan: a synthesis
- Index
- Plate section
- References
12a - Pediatric aspects of epilepsy
from Section II - Disorders
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 May 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contact information for authors
- Biography for Jacobus Donders and Scott J. Hunter
- Introduction
- Section I Theory and models
- Section II Disorders
- 5a Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents
- 5b Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults
- 5c Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a lifespan synthesis
- 6a Learning disorders in children and adolescents
- 6b Learning disorders in adults
- 6c Synthesis of chapters on learning disabilities: overview and additional perspectives
- 7a Infants and children with spina bifida
- 7b Adolescence and emerging adulthood in individuals with spina bifida: a developmental neuropsychological perspective
- 7c Spina bifida/myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus across the lifespan: a developmental synthesis
- 8 Cerebral palsy across the lifespan
- 9a Intellectual disability across the lifespan
- 9b Lifespan aspects of PDD/autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
- 9c Autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability: common themes and points of divergence
- 10a Hearing loss across the lifespan: neuropsychological perspectives
- 10b Visual impairment across the lifespan: neuropsychological perspectives
- 11a Traumatic brain injury in childhood
- 11b Adult outcomes of pediatric traumatic brain injury
- 11c Neurobehavioral aspects of traumatic brain injury sustained in adulthood
- 11d Traumatic brain injury in older adults
- 11e Traumatic brain injury across the lifespan: a long-term developmental perspective
- 12a Pediatric aspects of epilepsy
- 12b A lifespan perspective of cognition in epilepsy
- 13a Leukemia and lymphoma across the lifespan
- 13b Lifespan aspects of brain tumors
- 14 Lifespan aspects of endocrine disorders
- 15 Metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders across the lifespan
- 16a Psychopathological conditions in children and adolescents
- 16b Psychopathological conditions in adults
- 16c Neuropsychological aspects of psychopathology across the lifespan: a synthesis
- Index
- Plate section
- References
Summary
Introduction
Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition in childhood and patients frequently present to neuropsychological clinics due to a number of factors related to their seizures, including difficulties with attention, learning, and behavior. Specific cognitive impairments often accompany epileptic syndromes, and these translate to academic underachievement. Patients also present with psychiatric symptoms including inattention, depression, and anxiety. Treatment, including antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and surgery, can be related to alterations in cognition. As such, continual monitoring for changes in neurocognitive functioning is recommended.
Classification of seizures
Etiology
A seizure is defined as the discharge of abnormal electrical activity in the brain; a diagnosis of epilepsy is made when an individual has recurrent seizures with electroencephalographic (EEG) confirmation [1, 2]. While EEG affirmatively diagnoses up to 70% of individuals with epilepsy, clinical, subjective, and objective observations typically corroborate EEG findings in order to support a diagnosis.
Three mechanisms that occur at the cellular level have been implicated in the development of epilepsy [1]. Defects involving ion channels may result in the prolonged opening of sodium or calcium channels, excessively depolarizing the presynaptic membrane, and resulting in epileptiform activity [3]. The presence of excessive excitatory (glutamate and aspartate) or deficient inhibitory (GABA and glycine) neurochemicals may also increase brain activity, leading to seizures [2]. Third, cellular changes, such as the development of excitatory pathways or synaptic reorganization, can lead to epilepsy, also known as the “kindling” effect [3].
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- Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010
References
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