Short summary

Children with epilepsy have an increased risk of cognitive dysfunction. This is a major concern since it influence on school performance, social life, daily life and quality of life extending into adulthood. With this multicenter study, we introduce Epitrack Junior as a screening tool for cognitive dysfunction in Danish schoolchildren with epilepsy. The aim is to investigate the extend of cognitive dysfunction in a cohort of children with epilepsy and risk factors related to.

Rationale

Children with epilepsy have an increased risk of cognitive dysfunction. This is a major concern since it influence on school performance, social life, daily life and quality of life extending into adulthood. It is not clear, whether it is the epilepsy in itself, treatment with epileptic drugs, or a combination that causes this dysfunction. The extent of the dysfunction depends on several factors: seizure type, epilepsy syndrome, age of the child, type and amount of epilepsy medicine. With this multicenter study, we introduce Epitrack Junior as a screening tool for cognitive dysfunction in Danish schoolchildren with epilepsy. Epitrack Junior includes six different tasks designed to assess attentional and executive functions through verbal and visuomotor modalities. The study is a prospective study including children with epilepsy between 6 - 18 years of age. The aim is to investigate a cohort of children with epilepsy, using Epitrack Junior, to see if they have increased frequency of cognitive dysfunction compared to data from Danish norm material. In addition, to investigate risk factors disposing to cognitive dysfunction, including medical treatment.

Description of the cohort

Children with epilepsy between 6 - 18 years of age are recruited from Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine in Herlev, Aarhus, Aalborg and Kolding.

Data and biological material

Data from patient journal (demographic data, type of epilepsy and treatment, risk factors e.g. comorbidity, familial disposition)

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital,

• Nanette Mol Debes; MD (Paediatrician), PH.D.

Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital

• Mette Møller Haundrup; MD (Paediatrician), PH.D.

Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, AAlborg University Hospital

• Ninna Brix; MD (Paediatrician), PH.D.