Memory in children with temporal lobe epilepsy is at least partially explained by executive dysfunction

An association between memory and executive dysfunction (ED) has been demonstrated in patients with mixed neurological disorders. We aimed to investigate the impact of ED in memory tasks of children with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We evaluated 36 children with TLE and 28 controls with tests for memory, learning, attention, mental flexibility, and mental tracking. Data analysis was composed of comparison between patients and controls in memory and executive function; correlation between memory and executive function tests; and comparison between patients with mild and severe ED in memory tests. Children with TLE had worse performance in focused attention, immediate and delayed recall, phonological memory, mental tracking, planning, and abstraction. Planning, abstraction, and mental tracking were correlated with visual and verbal memory. Children with severe ED had worse performance in verbal and visual memory and learning tests. This study showed that ED was related to memory performance in children with TLE. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP, Foundation for the Support of Research in the State of Sao Paulo) [03/06025-3, 05/03489-4]

Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES, Office for the Advancement of Higher Education)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development)

This work was supported by a grant from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, Foundation for the Support of Research in the State of São Paulo; grant nos. 03/06025-3 and 05/03489-4), as well as by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, Office for the Advancement of Higher Education), and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development). We are grateful to the staff members of the Laboratory of Clinical Neurophysiology and the Division of Psychology and Neuropsychology of the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, for their valuable assistance.