Psychiatric and Neurocognitive Evaluation Focused on Frontal Lobe Functions in Rolandic Epilepsy

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to assess the behavioral problems, psychiatric disorders and neurocognitive evaluation focused on frontal lobe functions in children with rolandic epilepsy (RE) and compare them with a control group. Methods: 31 children with RE, aged 8-13,5 years were compared with a control group matched for age, sex and socioeconomic status. Behavioral problems were assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and psychiatric diagnoses were established by using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Present and Lifetime Version. Both groups of children were administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT). Results: RE group presented more psychiatric disorders than the control group. Verbal and total IQ scores in RE group were lower than in the control group. Although the groups did not differ from each other in WCST scores, children with RE displayed lower performance in SCWT. The RE group had higher externalizing and total scores in CBCL. Conclusion: It was considered that RE does not affect basic frontal lobe functions significantly, has negative effects on attention and IQ performance, and increases behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders.